Hajj 2026: Pilgrims struggle to access sacred spot in Medina over app

For many Nigerian pilgrims participating in the 2026 Hajj exercise, gaining access to the revered Rawdah inside the Al-Masjid an-Nabawi has become a difficult spiritual struggle due to challenges associated with the Saudi-approved Nusuk app.

Findings by Daily Trust revealed that several pilgrims from Oyo and Jigawa states were turned back at the entrance of the Rawdah alongside their aged parents for failing to secure prior bookings through the application before arrival for the Sunnah exercise.

Some of the affected pilgrims lamented that the situation became more difficult considering the harsh weather conditions and physical stress associated with moving elderly pilgrims around the mosque environment.

A number of pilgrims who spoke anonymously said they were yet to visit the Rawdah despite being in Medina for days, adding that their final day in the city was fast approaching.

“We have tried several times but the app is confusing for some of us. Our departure to Makkah is tomorrow and many are worried they may leave Medina without praying at the Rawdah,” one pilgrim said.

However, one of the Amirul Hajj officials, Muhammad Aliyu, described the app as user-friendly, saying he was able to successfully book and visit the Rawdah.

According to him, the stay in Medina has been peaceful and enjoyable for many pilgrims who followed the required procedures.

One of his pilgrims narrated that while travelling from Dutse to Jeddah, he noticed another pilgrim trying to make a Rawdah reservation through the app and attempted to download it himself without success.

“Upon arrival, I didn’t bother again because of the earlier experience. But later, the Amirul Hajj assisted me with the booking and I eventually visited the Rawdah,” he explained.

Investigations also revealed that some pilgrims ignored the Nusuk booking process entirely and instead searched for alternative “free access gates” into the Rawdah area.

Speaking to this reporter, two pilgrims simply identified as Zainab and Khadijah said they eventually gained access through what they described as a free-entry route after waiting for several minutes amid a rowdy crowd.

Khadijah recalled how three pilgrims from Ogun State approached her on Wednesday night looking disappointed over their inability to secure access before their Thursday morning departure to Makkah.

“She directed them towards Mosque Gate 20 where some pilgrims were being allowed into the Rawdah without prior booking,” she said.

The growing complaints have been linked to inadequate orientation for pilgrims during the early phase of the Hajj exercise, with some observers pointing to gaps in guidance expected from officials, Amirul Hajj teams and clerics accompanying the pilgrims.

But Fatima Usara, Deputy Director of Media at NAHCON, said the state has been trained on how to book rawdoh for their pilgrims.

“I will show you what the commission is able to do this money for those who are unable to book the Rawdoh, for the pilgrims of the aforementioned she probably wasn’t around when the training was made for them.”

“It’s the responsibility of the state and they have been trained by our ICT to handle the rawdoh issue for their pilgrims,” Usara told Daily Trust

The development, according to some pilgrims, has created anxiety and psychological stress for those who fear leaving Medina without participating in one of the most spiritually significant experiences of their stay in the Holy City.