Sheikh Dr. Abdullah Burj Rawal, Secretary General of the South Sudan Islamic Council and Head of the Office of Pilgrims Affairs, addresses the media alongside council officials during a press conference in Juba on Thursday, January 15, 2026. | Photo: SSIC

The South Sudan Islamic Council, through the Office of Pilgrims Affairs, has announced that the cost of performing Hajj for the 2026 season has been set at USD 5,000.

The announcement was made during a press conference held on Thursday, January 15, at the late Lt. Gen. Taher Bior Abdullah Conference Hall, in the presence of government officials, media representatives, and other stakeholders.

The Office confirmed that the USD 5,000 fee covers the approved Hajj service packages, in accordance with the regulations and procedures agreed upon with the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.

Speaking at the press conference, the Secretary General of the South Sudan Islamic Council and Head of the Office of Pilgrims Affairs, Sheikh Dr. Abdullah Burj Rawal, stated that the arrangements follow the signing of an official Hajj agreement with the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.

The agreement includes South Sudan’s approved quota of 1,360 pilgrims, as well as health and physical fitness requirements, official registration timelines, and service contracts covering visas, accommodation in the holy sites, air transport, internal transportation between the cities and holy rituals, insurance, and other government fees.

Meanwhile, the Secretary for Hajj and Umrah and Executive Director of the Office of Pilgrims Affairs, Mr. Hassan Rahmatullah Mahmoud, outlined the application requirements and confirmed that registration will run from January 15 to February 22, 2026, through the headquarters of the Islamic Council and all its branches across the ten states and three administrative areas.

Speaking to the media Rahmatullah emphasized that Hajj is open to South Sudanese citizens both inside and outside the country, while noting that current economic challenges and misconceptions about free Hajj opportunities remain key obstacles.

They urged financially capable Muslims to fulfill the obligation from their own resources, stressing that Hajj is a compulsory act of worship for every able Muslim, and its reward is earned only by those who perform it themselves.