2025 Hajj: NAHCON working hard to ensure reduction in fares

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The acting Executive Chairman, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman, has said that the commission is working round the clock to ensure that there are reduced fares payable by intending pilgrims for the 2025 Hajj.

This is coming on the heels of the disclosure by the Hajj body that there would not be any concessionary exchange rates from the government for Hajj fare payable by intending pilgrims both from the states and private tour operators for next year’s Hajj, which observers noted may result in a hike in the fare next year.

With the Naira being exchanged at about N1,650 to a dollar at the forex market, stakeholders feared the price for the 2025 Hajj may go as high as N10 million as against between N6.5 million and N8.5 million paid by pilgrims that performed the 2024 Hajj, even with the Federal Government’s N90 billion subsidy.

Speaking on the BBC Hausa Service today, Prof. Usman expressed the commission’s hope of a reduced fare for the 2025 Hajj, saying that NAHCON did not want increased fares to happen.

According to him, “The commission is working round the clock to ensure there is a reduction in the amount intending pilgrims would pay for the 2025 hajj operations.

“Firstly, this is not our hope, and this is not what we want to happen. There has not been any announcement that it will happen.

“What we are doing, and based on the advice we are given and getting, we are working to ensure that it (the fare) did not get there, and we are optimistic and hopeful it will not get there, God willing.”

While being optimistic that a reduction in fare is achievable, Usman said the commission hoped the fare for next year’s Hajj would be less than what was paid for this year’s edition.

“Our hope is to even have a reduction from what was paid last year, and this is what we are working round the clock to achieve. And we are optimistic that we will achieve this with Allah’s help,” the acting chairman said.

Meanwhile, reacting to the NAHCON acting chairman’s submission in the interview aired today, the National Coordinator, Independent Hajj Reporters (IHR), a civil society organisation that monitors Hajj and Umrah in Nigerian and Saudi Arabia, Ibrahim Muhammed, urged Prof. Usman to be more cautious when making public statements.

Muhammed submitted that mistakes, especially the ones in the public domain, were costly, and sometimes somebody must pay either way.

According to him, the single determinant factor of Hajj fare in Nigeria was the exchange rate, and NAHCON has no authority to influence the price of naira to a dollar at any point in time.

“There are times when the price of Hajj service reduces and yet the cost of Hajj fare rises beyond the previous year because the exchange rates consumed the reduction in Hajj services.

“Another factor that can reduce Hajj fares is the significant reduction in the cost of airfare or accommodation in Makkah and Madina because the three components take the larger percentage of Hajj costs.

“Has the Chairman secured an assurance from Saudi-based service providers or the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah that there will be a reduction in the cost of accommodation or feeding in Saudi Arabia? Has the AG Chairman liaised with airlines about the possibility of reducing the airfare?

“More disturbing is that the promise to reduce Hajj fare comes less than 24 hours after the NAHCON spokesperson released a statement clarifying the position of the government on the exchange rate.

“The statement categorically stated that the government will not subsidise or grant concessionary exchange rates on Hajj fare,” Muhammed stated.

While submitting that he does not doubt the capacity and administrative profundity of the Ag Chairman to significantly reduce the cost of the 2025 Hajj fare for intending pilgrims, the IHR coordinator advised Usman to learn from past experiences and allow the result of his actions to speak on behalf of NAHCON.

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