The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has declared that subsidies for the 2025 Hajj pilgrimage have been eliminated. This implies that Nigerian pilgrims might now have to pay as much as ₦10 million each.
According to NAHCON spokesperson Fatima Sanda Usara, this choice was made due to the discontinuation of the special exchange rate that previously enabled pilgrims to obtain dollars at a lower rate.
Usara stated, “There will be no concessionary exchange rate from the government for Hajj fare payment for pilgrims, whether under state or private Hajj operators.”
Consequently, the expenses for each pilgrim could rise significantly, especially if the naira remains steady at its current ₦1,650 per dollar. State Pilgrims Welfare Boards are now requesting an initial payment of ₦8.5 million from pilgrims, although NAHCON has not yet set the final cost.
In order to address unresolved issues, NAHCON plans to reimburse each Nigerian pilgrim with 150 Saudi Riyals (equivalent to ₦64,682) from the 2023 Hajj due to service problems.
On another note, Saudi Arabia has imposed stricter rules on Private Tour Operators (PTOs), reducing the number of approved PTOs from 20 to 10. Each operator must now enroll at least 2,000 pilgrims to remain eligible.
NAHCON’s Commissioner of Operations, Prince Anofi Olanrewaju Elegushi, spoke about rumors regarding a ₦17 billion debt owed to Private Tour Operators (PTOs), explaining that NAHCON had received ₦2.75 billion, with ₦750 million already repaid.
He added, “The balance with the commission from undecided PTOs stands at ₦750 million.”
 has declared that subsidies for the 2025 Hajj pilgrimage have been eliminated. This implies that Nigerian pilgrims might now have to pay as much as ₦10 million each.){kind=link}