President Bola Tinubu has concluded his visit to Saudi Arabia, where he and members of his delegation were granted access to pray inside the Holy Kaaba in Makkah.

The president disclosed this in a statement on Monday, expressing appreciation to Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for granting them the privilege.

Tinubu described the opportunity as a rare honour and thanked the Saudi leadership for their hospitality, saying the gesture reflected the longstanding relationship between Nigeria and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

“I am deeply grateful to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and to Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman for extending this privilege to us, and for their gracious hospitality and brotherly care. It reflects the enduring bonds of faith and friendship between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia,” he said.

The president said he used the opportunity to pray for Nigeria, seeking peace, unity and prosperity for the country and its citizens.

“In those sacred moments, I prayed for peace, unity and prosperity for our dear nation and for all Nigerians,” he added.

Tinubu travelled to Saudi Arabia on Thursday, 29 October, for the lesser Islamic pilgrimage, known as Umrah. He performed the religious rites early on Friday at the Grand Mosque, Masjid al-Haram, in Makkah, where he circumambulated the Kaaba.

During the exercise, the president said he prayed for Allah’s continued guidance and protection for Nigeria, as well as harmony and stability among its citizens.

“I am grateful to Allah for being able to perform this Umrah. We have just prayed for our nation, for everyone to live in peace and harmony, happiness and faith in God Almighty,” he said shortly after completing the pilgrimage.

The president also said the spiritual exercise reinforced his commitment to serving the country.

“I believe this Umrah is very significant for the love of our people, commitment to the job and our country, Nigeria; commitment to the will of Allah that His words must prevail, and that there’s no other God but Him and He’s the only one that makes a human being what he can be and what he would be in life,” he said.

The presidential delegation included Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi; Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Ali Pate; and the governors of Borno, Sokoto, Jigawa, Kaduna, Yobe and Kwara states.

Business leaders, including BUA Group Chairman Abdulsamad Rabiu and Oando Group Chief Executive Wale Tinubu, were also part of the delegation.

Tinubu’s visit comes amid efforts by Nigeria and Saudi Arabia to strengthen bilateral cooperation, particularly in the administration of Hajj and Umrah.

In February, officials from both countries held a high-level meeting in Abuja to deepen cooperation on pilgrimage administration and address concerns affecting Nigerian pilgrims, including access to Umrah visas.

The meeting, led by Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Tawfiq Al-Rabiah, and Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Abdullahi Usman, was the first official visit by a Saudi minister of Hajj and Umrah to Nigeria.

The latest visit provided an opportunity for further religious engagement between the two countries, with Tinubu expressing appreciation for the privilege extended to him and his delegation.