Jeddah, Wednesday, 11 November 2026
The Chairman of the Presidential Taskforce on Hajj, Sierra Leone, Alhaji Murtada Sesay, has signed the Annual Hajj 2027/1448 Agreement on behalf of the Government of Sierra Leone with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Alhaji Sesay signed the agreement on arrangements for pilgrims’ affairs on Tuesday, 10 November, with Abdulfattah bin Suleiman Mashat, Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, on the sidelines of the Sixth Hajj Conference and Exhibition at the Superdome in Jeddah. Signed every year ahead of the Hajj season, the agreement aims to guide preparations for a successful Hajj, foster partnerships, improve services, and integrate technology.
During the signing ceremony, His Excellency Abdulfattah Mashat commended the Chairman and his team for their efforts and progress in preparing for the forthcoming season, noting that the Ministry would facilitate a smooth Hajj process next year.
Alhaji Murtada Sesay disclosed that the agreement is for a 3,000-quota slot, with an understanding for an additional 500 pilgrims to make it 3,500, provided the 3,000 is fully utilised.
“I can confirm that we have signed the 2027 Hajj contract. For this particular agreement, let me clarify this. As of today, it is for 3,000 Sierra Leonean pilgrims. However, our quota remains 3,500. Now, the understanding we have reached with the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah is that we should try to implement the agreed quota and then make a case, if necessary, for the addition of 500 pilgrims,” he said.
The Chairman said he is optimistic of fully utilising the quota because they have a “very long list of Sierra Leonean would-be pilgrims that had registered and are wanting to pay to perform next year’s Hajj”, adding that now that they “have reached an understanding”, the Taskforce would make the necessary arrangements with the cooperation of the Hon. Vice President.
Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, His Excellency Ambassador Mohammed S. Barrie, commended His Excellency President Dr Julius Maada Bio, the Hon. Vice President, Ministry of Social Welfare and the Presidential Task Force on Hajj for the remarkable work they have been doing towards supporting a smooth Hajj process for Sierra Leonean pilgrims. Ambassador Barrie also lauded the Saudi Ministry for taking into consideration their concerns in improving the Hajj by introducing higher standards for a smoother Hajj in 2027.
“They have introduced ‘Tarik Makkah’, also ‘the road to Makkah’, thereby ensuring that Hajj pilgrims coming for Hajj next year would be coming as ‘local travellers’, meaning they would no longer need to go through immigration or customs screening,” he said. He said the Ministry would be sending immigration officers to Sierra Leone and all countries participating in the 2027/1448 Hajj to conduct proper immigration screening on all pilgrims before their departure, to avoid misplacement of pilgrims’ information or passports and prevent deportation on arrival due to mismatched pictures or information, which had been happening in past years.
The Deputy Minister of Social Welfare and Technical Adviser to the Presidential Task Force on Hajj, Sierra Leone, Alhaji Mohamed Haji-Kella, said that another measure introduced by the Ministry to sanitise the Hajj is organising specific training and examination for Hajj officials from all countries and requiring that participants pass the exams before participating in the 2027 Hajj. He said 11 Taskforce members, including the Deputy Chairman, who took the exams passed with flying colours and are now qualified to serve the 2027 Hajj contingent of Sierra Leone.
The Sixth Hajj Conference and Exhibition features more than 520 governmental, private, and non-profit entities from over 150 countries. Participants from Sierra Leone included the Chairman, Alhaji Murtada Sesay; the Deputy Minister of Social Welfare and Technical Adviser to the Hajj Taskforce, Alhaji Mohamed Haji-Kella; the Deputy Chairman, Dr Ibrahim Jalloh; Abass Ibrahim Kamara, Managing Director – One Islam Media Network; a medical doctor, Dr Alhaji Ali Wurie; Hafsa; and nine other officials, including two female members.
The Embassy in Riyadh was represented by Ambassador Mohammed S. Barrie; Deputy Ambassador Abdul Aziz Turay; Head of Chancery, Ahmed Tejan Kabba; Hajj and Umrah Attaché, Dr Ahmad Wurie Bah; and Mohamed Jalloh, the I.T. Officer.
For enquiries:
Alhaji Abubakarr Bah, Information Attaché, Saudi Arabia