Is Saudi Arabia Banning Nigerian Pilgrims? Confusion Rocks 2025 Hajj

Is Saudi Arabia Banning Nigerian Pilgrims? Confusion Rocks 2025 Hajj

There was widespread confusion across Nigeria on Monday following reports of new Saudi visa restrictions, sparking fears that Nigerian pilgrims might be barred from the 2025 Hajj exercise.……READ MORE

Social media was flooded with claims that Nigeria had been blacklisted from entering Saudi Arabia starting April 13, 2025. But the Federal Government quickly debunked the rumours, clarifying that Nigeria has not been banned.

According to Gulf media outlets, Saudi Arabia announced a temporary suspension of short-term visas — including business, tourism, and family visit visas — for citizens of 14 countries. Nigeria is on that list, alongside Egypt, India, Morocco, Sudan, Ethiopia, Pakistan, and others.

The suspension, which begins on April 13, 2025, does not affect those who already hold valid short-term visas — but they must leave Saudi Arabia by April 29 to avoid penalties, including a possible five-year entry ban. The ban will stay in place until the end of the Hajj season in June.

Saudi authorities explained that the decision was made to reduce overcrowding and prevent misuse of non-Hajj visas during the pilgrimage season. Last year, over 1,300 pilgrims — many of them undocumented — reportedly died due to heat-related issues during the 2024 Hajj.

To avoid such incidents, Saudi Arabia maintains a strict quota system for Hajj pilgrims per country, distributed via lottery or approved agencies. Due to the high cost of official Hajj packages, some people resort to illegal routes, which often leads to complications.

A spokesperson for the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) told The Guardian that these kinds of visa adjustments are routine and advised the public to seek clarification only from official government or Saudi sources.

NAHCON also confirmed that registered pilgrims under Nigeria’s official Hajj scheme or through licensed operators will not be affected by the new visa policy.

The visa suspension is in line with earlier changes made in February 2025, which reduced single-entry visa validity to 30 days and suspended one-year multiple-entry visas for the same 14 countries.

In a statement on Monday, Alkasim Abdulkadir, media aide to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, dismissed the circulating memo claiming a total travel ban on Nigeria.

The Saudi Tourism Centre also cleared the air, stating that the only restriction in place affects tourist visa holders during the Hajj season.

“To be clear, those holding tourist visas are not allowed to perform Hajj or stay in Makkah between April 29 and June 11, 2025 (01 Thul Quda to 14 Thul Hijjah 1446 AH),” the Centre said.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged Nigerians to rely on verified information and avoid spreading unconfirmed reports.