Despite announcing over N8million as fare for this year’s Hajj exercise, the Chairman/CEO, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman, has said that the commission saved about N50billion for Nigerian pilgrims participating in the 2025 spiritual exercise through negotiations with Saudi Arabian service providers.
This is even as the NAHCON boss sought waivers on the two percent charge on remittances by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as well other aviation charges, saying that getting waivers or reductions in these charges will lead to further reduction of Hajj fare.
Prof Usman said these at the weekend when he led a delegation of the Hajj commission on a courtesy visit on Governor Dikko Umaru Radda of Katsina State at the Governor’s Lodge in Abuja.
The NAHCON boss told the governor that initial projections had put the fare for this year’s Hajj at over N10 million.
He said that the fare announced by the commission was arrived at after series of discussions with Saudi-based service providers through which the commission was able to save a out N50billion for Nigerian pilgrims.
According to Usman, “Through discussions and engagements with service providers in Saudi Arabia, we have been able to save approximately N50 billion for our pilgrims, and we are still working on securing additional reductions.
“The initial projections had put the fare for this year’s Hajj at over N10 million.
“However, due to our efforts, we have successfully reduced it to N8 million, and we are still negotiating further reductions.
“In shaa Allah, if we receive additional waivers, the fare will be further reduced.”
While soliciting Governor Radda’s support in engaging relevant authorities to secure waivers for the commission for this year’s operations, the chairman highlighted challenges facing NAHCON, including the two percent charge on remittances by CBN and the aviation charges, which he said constitutes about 65 per cent of the total Hajj costs.
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“Last year, the Federal Government provided a N90 billion subsidy, yet N1.7 billion was deducted as charges. Given that this year’s total remittance is projected to reach nearly N500 billion, the deduction could amount to over N20 billion,” Usman said.
The NAHCON chairman further solicited the governor’s support to convince Federal Government to reconsider issuance of pilgrims’ BTA through ATM credit cards during this year’s Hajj.
He then appealed to the governor to assist the commission in urging other state governments to submit lists of officials who prefer Tent-A accommodations at the Masha’ir (holy sites of Mina and Arafat) during this year Hajj with a view to streamlining the process.
On his part, NAHCON Commissioner for Operations, Inspectorate and Licensing, Prince Anofi Elegushi, gave the governor details on the commission’s operational preparations for this year’s Hajj exercise.
The commissioner said while NAHCON had made significant progress in reducing costs for offshore services in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, domestic charges remained, particular from aviation agencies, a challenge, adding that securing waivers from these agencies was a major concern for the commission.
According to Elegushi, “If these agencies grant us a waiver, it will have a direct impact on airfare and will significantly reduce the overall cost for pilgrims.”
He, however, appealed to state governments to consider advancing funds on behalf of their pilgrims in order for the commission to meet up with the deadline set by the Saudi Arabia authorities.
“We appeal to state governments to front load payments for their pilgrims, which will later be deducted during the reconciliation process.
“This will ensure that we meet the deadline without putting pressure on individual pilgrims,” he said.
Elegushi then called for concerted efforts in enhanced public awareness in order to enlighten intending pilgrim of drug-related offenses and lamented situations whereby Nigerian pilgrims are being apprehended with prohibited substances in Saudi Arabia, often unknowingly.
Responding, Governor Radda called for reforms to improve NAHCON’s operations and proposed reduction in the number of days Nigerian pilgrims spent in Saudi Arabia from 40 days to between three or four weeks to minimise costs.
“Last year, Hajj operations faced significant difficulties, causing distress to many intending pilgrims and the government alike. Despite these challenges, we managed to send about 2,700 pilgrims from Katsina State.
“I question why our pilgrims are required to spend up to 40 days in Saudi Arabia after Hajj, while those on international Hajj programmes complete their pilgrimage in just 5 to 7 days,” Governor Radda said.
He, then assured the NAHCON team that he would table the commission’s requests and concerns at the upcoming Northern Governors’ Forum meeting and also seek the support of religious leaders to enhance public awareness on Hajj matters.
Governor Radda, however, called on President Bola Tinubu to continue supporting pilgrims in terms of intervention in subsidising the exchange rate for Hajj payments, saying this had been beneficial in the past.
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