NAHCON Scraps Hajj Subsidies, Pilgrims Expected to Pay Higher Fees

With NAHCON discontinuing Hajj subsidies, Nigerian pilgrims will see a rise in the cost of attending the annual pilgrimage to Mecca.

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has declared that subsidies for the 2025 Hajj pilgrimage will be eliminated, potentially resulting in Nigerian pilgrims needing to pay up to ₦10 million per person.

This development comes after the end of the concessionary exchange rate that had previously enabled pilgrims to access dollars at a reduced rate.

Fatima Sanda Usara, the spokesperson for NAHCON, confirmed that the subsidy has been eliminated. She explained that pilgrims will no longer benefit from a reduced exchange rate, regardless of whether they are under state or private Hajj operators.

With the naira now valued at ₦1,650 per dollar, the expenses for the pilgrimage are anticipated to increase substantially.

Consequently, the States Pilgrims Welfare Boards are now requiring an initial deposit of ₦8.5 million from pilgrims, even though NAHCON has not yet finalized the overall cost.

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To address unresolved issues from the 2023 Hajj, NAHCON has announced plans to refund each pilgrim 150 Saudi Riyals (₦64,682) due to service-related shortcomings.

In the meantime, Saudi Arabia has implemented new regulations for Private Tour Operators (PTOs), decreasing the number of approved operators from 20 to 10. To remain eligible, each operator is now required to register at least 2,000 pilgrims.

Responding to rumors about an alleged ₦17 billion debt owed to PTOs, NAHCON’s Commissioner of Operations, Prince Anofi Olanrewaju Elegushi, explained that the commission received ₦2.75 billion and has already refunded ₦750 million of this amount.

He mentioned that the remaining ₦750 million is still with the commission, awaiting decisions from undecided PTOs.

With the cost of pilgrimage on the rise, NAHCON has stressed transparency in financial management and is striving to ensure pilgrims receive the services they have paid for.