The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has stated that the federal government will not subsidise hajj payment for pilgrims in 2025.

Daily Trust reports that government subsidy is mostly in the form of concessionary rate which allows pilgrims to access dollars at a reduced rate from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

A statement by the spokesperson of the commission, Fatima Sanda Usara, said for the 2025 Hajj, “There will be no concessionary exchange rate from the government for Hajj fare payment for pilgrims whether under state or private Hajj operators.”

This means that if the naira maintains its current rate of N1,650 to a dollar, each intending pilgrim will pay almost N10million for hajj fare as pilgrims pay at least $6,000.

While NAHCON is yet to announce the hajj fare for the 2025 hajj, States Pilgrims Welfare Board have begun asking intending pilgrims to pay N8.5m as initial deposit pending the announcement of the hajj fare.

The statement also announced the refund of 64,682 (150 Saudi Riyal) to every Nigerian pilgrim that participated in the 2023 hajj.

The statement added that the revelations were made during an interactive meeting between NAHCON and members of Private Tour Operators in Nigeria (PTOs).

“The meeting held today, 7th October 2024 was to update members on resolutions reached after resumption of office on Wednesday, 2nd October 2024 by Acting Chairman of the Commission, Prof Abdullahi Sale Pakistan who had been absent briefly on a trip.

“NAHCON’s Commissioner of Operations, Prince Anofi Olanrewaju Elegushi, chaired the virtual meeting with the PTO’s where he relayed new developments from both Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah (MoHU) and NAHCON’s decisions resulting from the second EXCO meeting with the new head of the Commission.”

Elegushi also stated that Saudi Arabia had further reduced the number of PTO to 10 from 20 that was initially announced and each company must register a minimum of 2,000 pilgrims to be considered for Hajj visa approval.

He said for the 2022 refund, the commission is still awaiting further details but refund details have emerged only for PTOs that camped on Field Office 18 in 2022 and they are to collectively receive SR62, 602 (N26,993,224) as refund for poor feeding in the Masha’ir.

“Similarly, the Commissioner Operations informed the PTO members that the NAHCON’s EXCO has approved the option of honouring bank guarantee as payment of N40 million caution deposit for the 2025 Hajj. In view of the above, any operator who wishes to make the payment through bank guarantee but has already made a cash deposit is invited to request for collection of the earlier deposit in order to present the bank guarantee.”

He also clarified that contrary to claims that NAHCON owes PTOs N17 billion from the 2024 Hajj caution deposit of N25million, it only received N2billion, N750million from 110 companies that registered for the 2024 Hajj.

“The amount included a roll-over of N1billion, 250million from the previous year. From the amount, 30 companies requested for refunds amounting to N750m, which has been paid. The balance still in the custody of the commission accruing to undecided PTOs is N750m.”

Source: https://dailytrust.com/Hajj-fare-to-hit-N10m-as-NAHCON-announces-end-to-subsidy

Subsidy my ass, this religious people are the worst people to encounter very corrupt, incase you want to ask how I know look at their communities.

Hajj & pilgrimages should be personal affair.
Good for Govt to stop spending on subsidising such ventures.

What about the christian version of Hajj? Or that one doesnt exists? Every wastage must go. If the Alhaji and imams stop eating from the table, they will speak and do it loudly enough to resonate with the suffering mekunus.

Any president that will come after and re-introduce subsidy on pilgrimage, curse be upon him!!!

The only good thing from Tinubu

I'm a Muslim and it is extremely stupid to subsidise Hajj.

God instructed us to go ONLY if we can afford the trips.

Trillions have been wasted on pilgrimage to Mecca and Jerusalem while our own country has continued to rot. Funny enough Saudi doesn't even need Nigeria. We are just a drop in the ocean. I've been there.

We are the most religious. We pay tithes in churches and go for Hajj.

Same set of "religious" people embezzle, cheat and rape their maids.

Always said it. If I become President, will immediately stop subsidising Hajj and tax the hell out of churches.

You will refuse to pay taxes but you're loyal to paying tithes. Yet Jesus said " Give unto to Caesar what's Caesar's and give unto God what's God".

Funny enough, Arabs and Jews hate Blacks more than excreta yet we Africans have adopted their gods as superior to ours.

Go to UAE, Saudi Arabia, Italy and Israel and you will flog our leaders. Useless.

Waw!!!

Nice move to remove subsidy on people personal religious journey

But the hike is also due to the naira that fast losing value due to floating of the Naira and other wrong economic decisions

E be like say na Venezuela's inflation path we dey go so o

Let's see how many people go still go hajj this year

How ever you be, where every you are.....you must feel the hand of T-pain

:

I fully support this kind of subsidy nonsense....

Mus-mus supporters will not like this. They expected full sponsorship to the Hajj with their 4 wives and 20 children.

Good news, you can't be wasting our scarce common wealth on religious affairs that haven't changed the mindset of the populace. You try on this one oga Tpain

Good

Hajj is a religious issue which government shouldn't have any business with.

It's not a must to go for Hajj if you can't afford it.

Nigerians have been going for pilgrimage for decades yet nothing changes most especially from the politicians

If you no get money, no be by force to go pilgrimage.

Nah wah o. To even go worship God don cost

Remove subsidy for Hajj .... a good decision!!!

Their wahala

Damned country.

When 1 dollar is almost 2k.
Even the Franko phone countries using CFA now have better country and economy than Nigeria.

It will never be well with

Gowon
IBB
Abachà
Obj
Abdulsalami
Jonadàft
And
Buharì

better, if you can't subsidize commodities for us in the country then no subsidy for overseas tourism.
the funds expended on religious tourism don't return into our economy but keep boosting the tourism destination.

Hahnemann:
Nah wah o. To even go worship God don cost

we have more than enough churches and mosque back home in Nigeria, let us utilizy them to the fullest.

People are not eating well but government is footing religious tourism which benefits the visited countries.

Wasting tax payers money on nonsense.

Best news so far!

Spending money for a useless something. Very senseless leaders Nigeria has

God

GanagiBitrus:

Hajj & pilgrimages should be personal affair.
Good for Govt to stop spending on subsidising such ventures.

Do you believe this same government that give people social media suspension?

They had better stick to this.

Enough of policies that favour only the rich.

Enskynelson:

Do you believe this same government that give people social media suspension?

Azzinnnn…

That’s why I’m hoping they stick to it.
Not posting one news via the media, whilst doing the opposite.

advanceDNA:
Jihad loading.....

The protest will start from Kano most likely.

One man with 4 wives and 10 children going on hajj, on subsidized fees.

We need to get our priorities right in this country.

Pegging the naira is what will turn us to Zambia or Venezuela

tuoyoojo:
Waw!!!

Nice move to remove subsidy on people personal religious journey

But the hike is also due to the naira that fast losing value due to floating of the Naira and other wrong economic decisions

E be like say na Venezuela's inflation path we dey go so o

Let's see how many people go still go hajj this year

How ever you be, where every you are.....you must feel the hand of T-pain

Jihad loading....

it's probably Audio..because Nigerian politicians will never throw away the religion card they will always need