2027 Hajj: Sokoto PWA seeks state passport offices

By Musa Ubandawaki, Sokoto

The Sokoto State Pilgrims Welfare Agency, PWA, has called for the decentralisation of passport offices from Abuja and Lagos to states across the country, saying the current arrangement is creating administrative bottlenecks in the processing of travel documents for intending pilgrims ahead of the 2027 Hajj.

Chairman of the agency, Alhaji Aliyu Musa, made the call in an interview in Sokoto, identifying passport processing as one of the major logistical challenges confronting Pilgrims Welfare Agencies during Hajj preparations.

Musa said restricting passport services largely to Abuja and Lagos had placed pressure on state pilgrims’ welfare agencies, particularly those coordinating large numbers of intending pilgrims within tight timelines for documentation and visa processing.

According to him, decentralising passport services to the states would reduce delays, ease pressure on pilgrims and enable welfare agencies to complete documentation more efficiently before the commencement of the annual pilgrimage.

“The centralisation of passport offices in Abuja and Lagos is creating administrative bottlenecks for Pilgrims Welfare Agencies across the states.

“There is an urgent need to decentralise passport services so that intending pilgrims can obtain and process their travel documents closer to their places of residence,” he said.

The PWA chairman stressed that Hajj preparations operated within strict timelines, making timely access to passports and other travel documents critical to the success of the exercise.

He noted that requiring intending pilgrims and state agencies to depend on only two major centres for passport-related services could result in unnecessary movement, additional expenses, congestion and delays, particularly during peak periods of Hajj preparations.

Musa therefore appealed to the Federal Government and relevant authorities responsible for passport administration to consider establishing functional passport offices in all states or strengthening existing state-level facilities.

He said such decentralisation would benefit intending pilgrims and strengthen coordination between state Pilgrims Welfare Agencies and federal authorities responsible for documentation and visa processing.

PWA clarifies 2027 registration

Meanwhile, Musa clarified that the Sokoto State PWA had not commenced fresh registration for the 2027 Hajj following the allocation of additional slots to the state by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON.

He explained that the additional slots were specifically allocated to intending pilgrims who had already paid their Hajj fares but could not be registered because the state’s initial quota had been exhausted.

“The additional allocation is not for new applicants. It is meant for intending pilgrims who had already paid but could not secure seats because the available slots were limited at the time of registration,” Musa said.

He urged members of the public to disregard rumours and unverified reports that the agency had commenced another round of registration.

Musa advised intending pilgrims to rely exclusively on official information from the Sokoto PWA and NAHCON.

He also commended the support of Sokoto State Governor, Ahmed Aliyu, for the annual Hajj operation, saying the governor had continued to provide backing to facilitate the welfare and smooth coordination of pilgrims from the state.

Musa assured intending pilgrims that the agency would continue to pursue a transparent and orderly Hajj process while working with NAHCON and other relevant authorities to address administrative challenges and ensure that pilgrims were adequately prepared for the 2027 pilgrimage.

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