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The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Ambassador Ismail Abba Yusuf, has advocated stronger international partnerships and digital transformation to improve Hajj fund management and ensure sustainable financial benefits for pilgrims.
This is contained in a press release signed by Shafii Sani Mohammed, Head of the Information and Publications Division of NAHCON.
Ambassador Yusuf made the call while participating as an international panelist at the 8th International Hajj Fund Forum (IHFF) 2026, held at the Jakarta International Convention Center in Indonesia.
The forum, hosted by Indonesia’s Hajj Financial Management Agency (Badan Pengelola Keuangan Haji, BPKH), brought together policymakers, Islamic finance experts and institutional leaders to discuss sustainable Hajj fund management under the theme, “Sustainable Hajj Fund Management Through Strategic Synergy and Digital Transformation.”
Discussions focused on the growing macroeconomic challenges affecting Hajj operations, rising pilgrimage costs and the need to preserve financial benefits for future generations of pilgrims.
Speaking on a high-level panel alongside BPKH Executive Board Chief Fadlul Imansyah and other international dignitaries, Ambassador Yusuf highlighted the importance of inter-agency cooperation and robust digital systems in protecting Hajj operations from global financial uncertainties.
He said effective Hajj administration must go beyond financing immediate pilgrimage operations to include wealth preservation and sustainable benefits for future pilgrims.
“The future of Hajj administration depends on our collective ability to innovate,” Yusuf said, stressing that technological advancement and strategic partnerships, particularly with Indonesia, could strengthen transparency and improve the economic sustainability of Hajj operations.
The NAHCON chairman also called for greater investment in high-yield infrastructure projects across the Hajj value chain, particularly hospitality and logistics. He explained that such investments could help reduce accommodation costs while generating sustainable returns for Hajj funds.
The forum featured opening addresses by Indonesian Minister of Hajj and Umrah, K.H. Mochamad Irfan Yusuf, and Vice Minister of Finance, Juda Agung.
Nigeria’s participation underscored NAHCON’s commitment to strengthening international cooperation and leveraging financial technology to develop sustainable investment frameworks for Hajj administration.
The commission’s participation in the forum marks a step towards building technology-driven and financially sustainable systems that protect the interests of present and future Nigerian pilgrims.
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