KEY POINTS

• President Tinubu has nominated former ambassador Ismail Abba Yusuf as NAHCON chairman and CEO.
• The appointment requires Senate confirmation, with a request sent to Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
• Yusuf will replace Abdullahi Usman, who resigned after about 14 months in office

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed former Nigerian diplomat, Ambassador Ismail Abba Yusuf, as the new Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON.

The announcement was made on Wednesday through a statement issued by Bayo Onanuga, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy.

According to the presidency, Yusuf’s appointment is contingent upon confirmation by the Senate, in line with Section 3(2) of the NAHCON Act, 2026.

President Tinubu has formally written to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, urging lawmakers to expedite the confirmation process.

Replacement for Resigned Chairman

Yusuf is set to replace Professor Abdullahi Usman, who stepped down earlier this week after serving approximately 14 months in office.

Usman reportedly resigned following what he described as “deep personal reflection.”

Before this nomination, Yusuf served as Nigeria’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Türkiye from 2021 to 2024, bringing diplomatic and administrative experience to the role if confirmed.

Usman himself was appointed in August 2024 after the removal of Jalal Arabi, who had been under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) over alleged mismanagement of a ₦90 billion presidential subsidy allocated for the 2024 Hajj.