In a move to ease the financial burden on intending pilgrims, the federal government has allocated a substantial sum of N90 billion to subsidize the 2024 pilgrimage to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, according to sources within the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) and the Presidency.
An unnamed source from NAHCON revealed to Daily Trust that this intervention would significantly reduce the financial pressure on pilgrims. Without this support, each pilgrim would have been required to contribute an additional N3.5 million to the initial fare of N4.9 million.
Confirming the government’s financial backing, a top official at the Presidency acknowledged the provision of financial support for the hajj exercise, indicating the government’s commitment to easing the burden on pilgrims.
The hike in hajj fares, initially announced in December last year, was attributed to the ongoing foreign exchange crisis. The fare, which was set at N4.9 million per pilgrim, was later increased to N6.8 million due to forex challenges, as announced by NAHCON through its spokesperson, Fatima Usara.
The source from NAHCON mentioned that if the commission had received the full N230 billion requested from the government, there would have been no need for additional contributions from pilgrims. However, the N90 billion support provided has substantially reduced the burden on pilgrims.
Efforts have also been made to involve state governments in subsidizing hajj fares, with Kano already responding by subsidizing the fare by N500,000 per pilgrim.
While the federal government’s exact amount of support was not openly announced, a presidency source hinted at a substantial financial assistance provided to alleviate the concerns of pilgrims.
The provision of this substantial subsidy aims to ensure that Nigerian pilgrims can fulfill their religious obligations without facing undue financial strain amidst economic challenges and forex fluctuations.
