President Bola Tinubu has nominated Ambassador Ismail Abba Yusuf as the new Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON).
The nomination was disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
“President Tinubu has written to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, seeking the expeditious confirmation of Ambassador Yusuf to replace Professor Abdullahi Usman, who resigned earlier this week after about 14 months in office,” the statement read.
The appointment is subject to Senate confirmation in accordance with Section 3(2) of the NAHCON Act.
Ambassador Yusuf is a career diplomat who served as Nigeria’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Türkiye from 2021 to 2024.
NAHCON is the federal agency responsible for regulating and coordinating Hajj and Umrah operations in Nigeria, including licensing tour operators and overseeing the welfare of pilgrims.
Professor Usman, in a separate statement issued in Abuja, said his resignation was based solely on personal reasons and did not reflect any dissatisfaction with the commission, the government, or its mandate.
He explained that the decision followed careful reflection and consultation with his family, and he expressed appreciation to President Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, members of the NAHCON board, management staff, and other stakeholders for their support during his tenure.
Usman’s resignation comes amid controversy. On January 19, 2026, 11 NAHCON board members submitted a petition to the President calling for his removal over allegations of financial indiscipline, lack of transparency, and repeated approval of expenditures and contracts without board authorisation and beyond approved budget limits.
The board also accused him of awarding Hajj-related contracts in violation of the Bureau of Public Procurement Act, thereby exposing the commission to legal, financial and reputational risks.
Usman, however, denied any wrongdoing, maintaining that his decision to step down was motivated strictly by personal considerations.
