There is an air of uncertainty among Nigerian travellers and private tour operators participating in the current lesser hajj, Umrah, in Saudi Arabia as the Iran-Us war continue to take a toll on flight operations and other business activities.
Daily Trust reports that the lesser hajj typically draws large numbers of Muslims to Saudi Arabia during Ramadan, with over 122 million worshipers visiting the country during the 2025 Ramadan period.
However, the ongoing Middle East tensions, coupled with the closure of critical airspace routes such as Doha and Dubai, are forcing intending pilgrims from Nigeria to reconsider their travel plans.
The disruptions have heightened concerns over safety, flight reliability, and timely arrival for the sacred rituals, leaving many uncertain about whether to proceed with their pilgrimage this year.
Iran, Iraq, Israel, Syria, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates had all announced at least partial closures of their skies after the US and Israel attacked Iran, bringing civilian air traffic over the Middle East to an abrupt halt.
Notable airlines that cancelled services included Emirates, Etihad, Qatar Airways, Air France, British Airways, Syria Air, Air India, Turkish Airlines, EgyptAir, Lufthansa and Ethiopia Airlines.
However, other airlines such as Saudi Arabian Airlines are still operating flights to the kingdom, as Saudi Arabia has not officially closed its airspace despite regional disruptions.
Saudi airspace continues to receive civilian flights even amid heightened tensions following retaliatory strikes in the Middle East.
Nevertheless, recent missile and drone attacks targeting Gulf infrastructure, including a reported strike on an oil refinery facility in Saudi Arabia, have raised fears that Riyadh could impose airspace restrictions if the conflict escalates further.
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