President Bola Tinubu has selected Ambassador Ismail Abba Yusuf to be the new Chairman and CEO of Nigeria’s National Hajj Commission.
Bayo Onanuga, the president’s special adviser on information and strategy, announced the nomination in a statement on Wednesday.
“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 press release reads.
The appointment, announced on Wednesday, is subject to confirmation by the Senate in accordance with Section 3(2) of the NAHCON Act.
Yusuf is a career diplomat who served as Nigeria’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Turkey from 2021 to 2024.
Usman’s departure on Monday, just 14 months into his tenure, comes at a critical time for the commission, as preparations for the 2026 Hajj were already starting.
NAHCON is the government agency in charge of regulating and coordinating Hajj and Umrah operations in Nigeria, as well as licensing tour operators and ensuring pilgrim welfare.
