President Bola Tinubu has nominated Ambassador Ismail Abba Yusuf as the new Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria.
The nomination was conveyed in a statement issued on Wednesday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
According to the statement, Tinubu has written to the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, seeking prompt confirmation of Yusuf’s appointment following the resignation of the former chairman, Professor Abdullahi Usman.
Usman stepped down earlier this week after spending about 14 months in office, creating a leadership vacancy at the commission.
The President’s request to the Senate is in line with Section 3(2) of the NAHCON Act, which requires legislative confirmation for the appointment.
Yusuf, a seasoned diplomat, previously served as Nigeria’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Türkiye from 2021 to 2024.
His nomination comes at a critical period for the commission as preparations for the 2026 Hajj are already underway. NAHCON is the federal agency saddled with overseeing and coordinating Hajj and Umrah operations in Nigeria, including licensing tour operators and ensuring the welfare of pilgrims.