NAHCON chairman Abdullahi Usman resigns amid controversies, internal crisis

Abdullahi Usman's resignation was confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES late on Monday by his media assistant, Ahmed Muazu.

The Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Abdullahi Usman, has resigned from his position.

The development was confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES late on Monday by Ahmed Muazu, the media assistant to the chairman.

No official reason was given for the resignation at the time of filing this report.

Mr Usman, a professor, was appointed chairman of NAHCON by President Bola Tinubu in 2024. He oversaw his first Hajj operations in 2025, marking his debut in managing Nigeria’s Hajj affairs at the national level.

He was appointed in 2024 to replace Jalal Arabi, who was sacked by President Bola Tinubu. At the time he was removed, Mr Arabi was being investigated for allegedly misappropriating funds released by the federal government for the 2024 Islamic pilgrimage.

Mr Usman’s relatively short tenure was marked by a series of controversies that generated tension within the commission. Central to the disputes were allegations of financial mismanagement and misappropriation of funds during the 2025 Hajj exercise—claims that heightened internal disagreements and drew public attention to the commission.

In January 2026, the crisis deepened when some NAHCON commissioners reportedly submitted a petition to President Tinubu, passing a vote of no confidence in Mr Usman. The petition accused the chairman of leadership failures and poor administrative conduct, further escalating the internal rift within the commission.

The situation prompted the intervention of Vice President Kashim Shettima, who convened a meeting with key stakeholders approximately two weeks ago in an attempt to reconcile aggrieved parties and restore stability within NAHCON.

Mr Usman’s resignation now adds a new dimension to the unfolding developments at the commission, raising questions about the future leadership of NAHCON and the management of Nigeria’s Hajj operations ahead of the 2026 pilgrimage.