2025 Hajj: NAHCON saves N50b for pilgrims as Radda seeks dollar subsidy  

Urges waiver on CBN sub-charges to reduce pressure on fare 
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has said that it has successfully saved Nigerian pilgrims about N50 billion ahead of the 2025 Hajj exercise.

NAHCON Chairman, Prof. Abdullahi Saleh Usman, disclosed this during a courtesy visit to Katsina State Governor, Dikko Umaru Radda, at the Governor’s Lodge, Abuja, on Saturday. He revealed that through strategic negotiations and engagements with service providers in Saudi Arabia, the Commission was able to significantly slash costs.

“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,” Usman said.

Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Katsina State, Ibrahim Mohammed in a statement, yesterday, further quoted the NAHCON chairman as saying that initial projections had put the 2025 Hajj fare at over N10 million.

“However, due to our efforts, we have successfully reduced it to N8 million, and we are still negotiating further reductions. Insha’Allah, if we receive additional waivers, the fare will be further reduced,” the NAHCON chairman added.

Usman identified key challenges facing the Commission, particularly the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) two per cent charge on remittances.

“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,” he noted.

The Chairman lamented that aviation-related charges constitute approximately 65 per cent of the total Hajj costs. He indicated that the Commission has already initiated requests for waivers or reductions in these charges, which could potentially lead to further decreases in the Hajj fare.

The NAHCON appealed for the governor’s support in engaging relevant authorities to secure these waivers, stressing the importance of making the pilgrimage more affordable for Nigerian Muslims.

Speaking, the governor called for reform to improve the operations of the Hajj commission. Radda reflected on the 2024 Hajj operations in Katsina where he outlined several challenges, including the impact of currency depreciation on pilgrimage costs. The governor also proposed reducing the pilgrimage duration from 40 days to three or four weeks to minimise costs.