•Hajj
There was confusion among Nigerians, yesterday, over the implication of Saudi Arabia’s recent visa restrictions, as some expressed fear that the new policy may affect participation in the 2025 Hajj.
But the federal government refuted online reports suggesting that Nigeria was placed among countries banned from entering Saudi Arabia, effective April 13, 2025, reports The Guardian.
The Saudi government, in a notice widely circulated by Gulf-based media, announced a temporary suspension of short-term visa issuance to nationals from 14 countries, including Nigeria.
The suspension, which takes effect from April 13, 2025, affects various visa categories, including single and multi-entry business visas, tourist e-visas, and family visit visas.
Other countries affected by the new directive, according to the report, include Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Sudan, Ethiopia, India, Tunisia, Yemen, Jordan, Iraq, Indonesia, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
According to the directive, holders of existing short-term Saudi visas from the affected countries may still travel to the kingdom before April 13, but must exit no later than April 29, 2025. Failure to comply may attract penalties, including a potential five-year entry ban.
The ban is expected to remain in effect through June, when the Hajj season concludes.
Saudi authorities said the policy was part of efforts to regulate travel ahead of the Hajj season, following concerns over overcrowding and misuse of non-pilgrimage visas during the 2024 exercise, which recorded a high number of fatalities due to extreme heat and logistics strain.
During the 2024 Hajj season, at least 1,301 pilgrims died, most from heat-related causes. The majority of the deceased did not hold official Hajj permits.
Under Saudi Arabia’s quota system, each country is allocated a limited number of Hajj permits, typically distributed via a lottery.
However, due to the high cost of official packages, many resort to unauthorised travel arrangements.
The announcement triggered a wave of misinformation across social media platforms in Nigeria, with many interpreting the policy as a blanket ban on Nigerian pilgrims for the 2025 Hajj.
An official of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) told our correspondent that the development was not unusual, noting that “countries often tweak visa policies to achieve specific objectives.”
The official, however, advised stakeholders to seek further clarification from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or Saudi authorities.
It was gathered that the restriction does not apply to pilgrims properly registered under the official Hajj scheme facilitated by NAHCON or approved tour operators.
Despite the ban, Nigerians intending to perform Hajj through authorised channels will still be granted access into the Kingdom during the pilgrimage window.
The visa suspension also aligns with earlier restrictions imposed in February 2025, which limited travel from the same 14 countries to single-entry visas valid for only 30 days and indefinitely suspended one-year multiple-entry visas.
In a statement, yesterday, Special Assistant on Media and Communications Strategy to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Alkasim Abdulkadir, clarified that the viral memo alleging visa restrictions on Nigeria and other countries was entirely false and had been discredited by Saudi authorities.
According to the statement, the Saudi Tourism Centre confirmed that no such directive exists, stating that the only valid travel advisory in effect relates specifically to the Hajj pilgrimage.
“For clarity, the only restriction applies to tourist visa holders during the Hajj season. Individuals holding a tourist visa are not permitted to perform Hajj, enter or stay in Makkah between April 29 and June 11, 2025 (corresponding to 01 Thul Quda to 14 Thul Hijjah 1446 AH),” the statement noted.
Stressing that the Hajj visa remains the sole authorised travel document for pilgrims during this period, the ministry cautioned the public against spreading unverified information and advised travellers to rely on official government sources for updates.
