Nigeria’s preparations for the 2027 Hajj are beginning unusually early, with private pilgrimage operators already seeking deposits from prospective pilgrims more than nine months before the expected start of the religious rites.
3SixtyIslam, a Lagos-based Hajj and Umrah operator, is offering places for the 2027 pilgrimage and says registration will close on September 28, 2026. Its current campaign asks intending pilgrims to pay a refundable initial deposit of ₦2.5 million, subject to its terms and conditions.
The early sales push comes as Nigeria’s Hajj regulator, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), has already begun preparations for the next pilgrimage cycle. On July 28, the commission opened applications for licences for travel agencies seeking to participate in the 2027 Hajj.
Why Hajj planning now starts months before the pilgrimage
For Nigerian pilgrims, Hajj is not simply a matter of booking a flight and accommodation. The pilgrimage involves a chain of contracts between Nigerian operators, NAHCON, Saudi authorities, airlines, hotels and service providers in Makkah, Madinah and the holy sites.
That system has become increasingly dependent on early financial commitments.
During preparations for the 2026 Hajj, NAHCON warned stakeholders that Saudi deadlines for visa processing, payments and contractual arrangements could not be assumed to move. The commission also advised pilgrims to obtain written agreements from operators detailing the services they were paying for.
The pressure is partly created by the Saudi Nusuk Masar system, through which pilgrim registration, visa processing and the acquisition of services are coordinated. NAHCON established a dedicated team to oversee the platform for Nigerian pilgrims and liaise with Saudi authorities.
For private operators, therefore, early registration can help establish the numbers needed for accommodation, transportation and other services before Saudi deadlines become restrictive.
₦2.5 million is a deposit, not the cost of Hajj
The ₦2.5 million figure advertised by 3SixtyIslam should not be interpreted as the total price of its 2027 Hajj package.
The operator’s previous Hajj packages illustrate how substantially the final cost can vary according to accommodation and service levels.
For the 2025 pilgrimage, 3SixtyIslam announced packages ranging from ₦9.05 million for a basic package to more than ₦20 million for its premium package. The packages differed in hotel quality, proximity to the Grand Mosque, Mina and Arafat tent categories, meals and transport arrangements.
That means prospective 2027 pilgrims should distinguish between an initial deposit and the eventual Hajj fare. The final price can depend on contracts for accommodation, air travel, Saudi services, exchange rates and other components of the pilgrimage.
Nigeria’s own 2026 experience illustrates the volatility. NAHCON initially announced a provisional fare of ₦8.5 million before later revising the government-sector fares to between roughly ₦7.58 million and ₦7.99 million, depending on the pilgrim’s zone.
Private-sector packages can be considerably more expensive because they may include different accommodation and service standards.
Nigeria’s private Hajj sector is already a significant operation
The private Hajj market is not marginal to Nigeria’s pilgrimage system.
For the 2026 Hajj, NAHCON said Nigeria had been allocated 50,000 pilgrims, including 9,750 places for licensed tour operators, alongside operational personnel and statutory officials. About 39,000 pilgrims under the government quota had been airlifted by the time the outbound operation concluded.
The regulatory framework has also tightened around private operators. NAHCON has previously worked with Saudi authorities on the number of lead companies and minimum pilgrim requirements for private operators, while requiring operators to comply with Saudi contracting and visa procedures.
3SixtyIslam has operated in that private-sector ecosystem for several years. In 2025, it worked with Habdat Xpress Travels, one of the lead tour operators appointed for that year’s Hajj, offering packages that covered flights, accommodation, visa procurement, transportation and other pilgrimage services.
One date in the 2027 advertisement needs caution
There is, however, an important discrepancy in the current 2027 promotional material.
The campaign states that Hajj is expected to commence on April 8, 2027. Current Islamic calendar calculations do not support that date.
The 2027 Hajj falls in Dhul-Hijjah 1448 AH. Calendar calculations based on the Umm al-Qura calendar place 8 Dhul-Hijjah on May 14, 2027, Arafat Day on May 15, and Eid al-Adha on May 16.
Those dates remain provisional because the Islamic calendar is lunar and key dates are ultimately determined through the relevant Saudi authorities and moon-sighting process.
For prospective pilgrims, the difference is substantial: April 8 is about five weeks earlier than the currently projected beginning of the Hajj rites.
What prospective pilgrims should establish before paying
The early registration window gives intending pilgrims time to secure a place, but it also makes due diligence important.
NAHCON has previously warned Nigerians against unauthorised engagements with Hajj operators and has stressed the importance of using recognised channels and complying with Saudi requirements.
Anyone considering the ₦2.5 million deposit should therefore establish what the payment secures, whether it is fully refundable and under what circumstances, when subsequent instalments become due, what accommodation category is included and which services are covered by the eventual package.
The operator’s latest campaign lists its Lagos address as 10 Esomo Close, off Toyin Street, Ikeja, and provides the contact numbers 0706602861 and 08155577038.
With NAHCON’s 2027 licensing process already underway, the next stage will be less about announcing that Hajj is coming and more about determining which operators are authorised, what Saudi service contracts are available and how much the pilgrimage will ultimately cost Nigerian travellers.
For now, the clearest date for prospective pilgrims is the September 28, 2026 registration deadline advertised by 3SixtyIslam. The advertised April 8 Hajj commencement date, by contrast, should be treated cautiously until confirmed by the relevant Saudi authorities.
