Ambassador Ismail Abba Yusuf has been appointed as the new Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria by President Bola Tinubu.
The nomination was disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
“President Tinubu sent a letter today to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, requesting the expeditious confirmation of Ambassador Yusuf to replace Professor Abdullahi Usman, who resigned this week, after about 14 months in the post,” the statement read.
The appointment, announced on Wednesday, is subject to confirmation by the Senate in line with the provisions of Section 3(2) of the NAHCON Act.
Yusuf is a career diplomat and served as Nigeria’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Türkiye between 2021 and 2024.
Usman’s resignation on Monday, barely 14 months into his tenure, came at a delicate period for the Commission, with preparations for the 2026 Hajj already underway.
NAHCON is the federal agency responsible for the regulation and coordination of Hajj and Umrah operations in Nigeria, including the licensing of tour operators and the welfare of pilgrims.
