Reduce 2026 Hajj Charges, Commission Tells Central Bank

Following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive to reappraisal the 2026 Hajj fares, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has formally requested the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to trim its charges levied connected pilgrims. The committee has specifically asked for the 2% complaint imposed connected pilgrims’ transactions to beryllium reconsidered.

This entreaty was made during a gathering yesterday astatine the Hajj House successful Abuja, which aimed to harmonise the speech complaint for Hajj 2026 outgo computations involving officials from the State Pilgrims Welfare Boards.

NAHCON had antecedently announced that the authoritative fare for the 2026 Hajj pilgrimage would beryllium N8.2 cardinal for pilgrims from the Northern portion and N8.5 cardinal for those from the Southern region. However, with concerns regarding the fares, President Tinubu, done Vice President Kashim Shettima, ordered an contiguous simplification successful costs, citing the caller appreciation of the naira against the dollar—a cardinal origin successful determining pilgrimage fares.

During the meeting, NAHCON indicated that negotiations are underway to trim circumstantial outgo components, specified arsenic cargo handling charges, to alleviate the fiscal load connected prospective pilgrims. The commission, however, reiterated that immoderate reductions successful rates charged by work providers would beryllium cautiously considered to debar compromising the prime of services delivered to pilgrims.

In a connection made disposable to journalists by Fatima Sanda Usara, lawman manager of accusation and publication, Chairman of NAHCON, Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman, urged unity among officials and stressed the value of aesculapian screenings, highlighting their value outlined by Saudi Arabian authorities.

Additionally, Commissioner Aliu AbdulRazak, liable for Policy, Personnel Management, and Finance, announced that the Chairman had approved regular money transfers to the CBN arsenic they are received from the states, aiming to instrumentality vantage of favourable speech rates.

Of peculiar concern, the gathering disclosed that the Mashair abstraction allocated for Nigeria’s pilgrims connected the NUSUK Masar portal had been confirmed to beryllium 66,910 slots for the 2026 Hajj. While Nigeria was allocated 95,000 slots, lone 51,513 volition beryllium disposable for States and authoritative operatives, with 15,397 earmarked for licensed circuit operators.

This simplification follows Saudi Arabia’s determination to chopped Nigeria’s campy slots owed to underutilisation successful erstwhile years. Prince Anofiu Elegushi, the Commissioner of Operations, noted that allocations would beryllium adjusted based connected each state’s show during the 2025 Hajj.

NAHCON has requested States to taxable the fig of registered pilgrims to guarantee alignment with NAHCON’s registration projections, facilitating due planning. Alhaji Idris Almakura, Chairman of the Forum of States, highlighted the captious quality of the slot limitations connected the NUSUK Masar portal.
States were reminded of the recently established deadline of December 21 for fiscal remittances.
Each authorities indispensable acceptable an interior deadline to guarantee timely transfers to NAHCON. To beforehand compliance, NAHCON volition behaviour nationwide sensitisation campaigns for States and pilgrims to underscore the urgency of gathering this deadline.

Furthermore, NAHCON has announced that this year’s Hajj volition follow the modular planetary luggage policy, permitting each pilgrim 2 23kg checked bags and 1 backpack arsenic manus luggage.

The committee besides reiterated Saudi Arabia’s stringent aesculapian requirements for pilgrims. Individuals with terrible aesculapian conditions—including organ failure, neurological oregon psychiatric disorders, dementia, pregnancy, progressive crab undergoing chemotherapy, tuberculosis, oregon different communicable diseases—will not beryllium permitted introduction into the kingdom. Dr Saidu Dumbulwa, a NAHCON committee subordinate representing the Ministry of Health, explained that these measures purpose to mitigate the hazard of illness transmission and trim the healthcare load connected Saudi authorities.

The committee stated that designated hospitals volition lone behaviour aesculapian screenings to fortify compliance. Specific integrity-minded individuals volition beryllium authorised to motion aesculapian certifications, which volition besides necessitate a countersignature from the State’s Chief Medical Director to forestall forgery. Visa issuance volition beryllium contingent upon verifying these aesculapian certificates upon entry. Therefore, adherence to these aesculapian regulations is imperative, with immoderate violations perchance starring to corporate accountability for Nigeria.