The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has made a significant announcement regarding the cost of the Hajj for 2025.
For the first time in years, the federal government will not provide a subsidy for pilgrims.
This decision will have a direct impact on the cost of the Hajj for Nigerian Muslims planning to make the pilgrimage.
According to the spokesperson for NAHCON, Fatima Sanda Usara, the elimination of the government subsidy means that pilgrims will have to pay the full fare without any financial assistance.
Previously, the government offered concessionary exchange rates, allowing pilgrims to access dollars at a reduced rate from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
This made Hajj more affordable for many.
For the 2025 Hajj, there will be no concessionary exchange rate available for pilgrims, whether they are using state or private Hajj operators.
With the naira currently trading at approximately N1,650 to the dollar, the cost of Hajj for each intending pilgrim could approach N10 million.
This estimation is based on a minimum fare of $6,000 for the pilgrimage.
While NAHCON has yet to announce the official fare for the 2025 Hajj, State Pilgrims Welfare Boards are already requesting an initial deposit of N8.5 million from intending pilgrims.
This is a significant increase compared to previous years when subsidies helped lower the cost.
In addition to the fare announcement, NAHCON also revealed plans to refund some money to each Nigerian pilgrim who participated in the 2023 Hajj.
This refund is part of an effort to provide financial relief to those who made the pilgrimage last year.
The announcement was made during an interactive meeting between NAHCON and members of the Private Tour Operators (PTOs) in Nigeria.
The meeting, held on October 7, 2024, was chaired by Prince Anofi Olanrewaju Elegushi, NAHCON’s Commissioner of Operations.
It focused on updates from the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah (MoHU) in Saudi Arabia and the latest decisions made by NAHCON’s executive committee.
One of the key decisions announced was a reduction in the number of PTOs from 20 to 10.
Each company must now register a minimum of 2,000 pilgrims to be eligible for Hajj visa approval.
During the meeting, Elegushi also provided information about the refund related to the 2022 Hajj.
The commission is still awaiting further details, but some PTOs will collectively receive SR62,602 (around N26,993,224) as a refund for inadequate feeding services in Masha’ir.
This refund is a part of NAHCON’s efforts to address complaints from pilgrims regarding their experiences during the last Hajj.
In another important announcement, NAHCON’s executive committee has approved the option of using a bank guarantee as payment for the N40 million caution deposit required for the 2025 Hajj.
This is a significant change that could benefit many operators.
Elegushi clarified that any operator who has already made a cash deposit can request to collect it back if they wish to switch to a bank guarantee.
There have been claims that NAHCON owes PTOs a total of N17 billion from the 2024 Hajj caution deposit of N25 million.
However, Elegushi stated that NAHCON only received N2 billion, including a rollover of N1 billion from the previous year.
He emphasized that 30 companies had requested refunds totaling N750 million, which have already been processed.
The remaining balance of N750 million is still in the commission’s custody, pending decisions from undecided PTOs.
