Pilgrimage to Mecca: How we spent N90bn subsidy – Hajj Commission

According to Malam Jalal Arabi, the Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), the Federal Government’s N90 billion subsidy for the 2024 Hajj pilgrimage was primarily utilised as a stopgap measure to close airfare shortages for pilgrims.

This year, 65,000 Nigerians travelled to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj, and 40 of them lost their lives there.

A committee led by Sada Soli (APC Katsina) was established by the House of Representatives to investigate NAHCON’s performance during the pilgrimage after a number of state governors voiced displeasure with the Commission, particularly regarding alleged insufficient accommodations in Muna, Saudi Arabia, and inadequate Basic Travel Allowance (BTA) for pilgrims from their states.

Arabi clarified how the amount was used, stating that the subsidy was used to offset the rise in the cost of the Hajj in 2024.

“The Federal Government granted us a N90 billion subsidy, which we carefully utilised to address the unprecedented increase in Hajj costs.

“The high dollar exchange rate caused the cost per seat to surge above N9 million, necessitating our intervention to mitigate the burden on pilgrims.

“To address the issue, we convened a meeting with representatives from all states to discuss the matter. We then compiled a list of intending pilgrims who had already paid the approved N8 million.

“Subsequently, we supplemented the remaining N1.6 million for each of the over 50,000 pilgrims to complete the payment, ensuring that their Hajj journey was not disrupted,” he said.

“The N1.6 million used to supplement the Hajj fares of 50,000 pilgrims would amount to N80 billion, leaving about N10 billion from the money provided by the government. In the interview, Arabi said the remaining funds were prudently used for other logistics but did not provide the breakdown,” he stressed.

Arabi went on to say that NAHCON does not get recurring monthly or annual subventions from the Federal Government to support its operations, in contrast to other commissions in Nigeria.

Regarding the accomplishments of NAHCON during his direction, he stated: “In our first year in the helms of affairs, we made concerted efforts to deliver optimal results, acknowledging that we faced some obstacles.

“Nevertheless, we have drawn valuable insights from our experiences and are committed to building upon our progress.

“The Commission has already commenced preparations for next year’s Hajj, and we are confident that our services will be even more efficient and effective, surpassing the expectations of our esteemed pilgrims.”

Recall that 312 pilgrims from Kwara State arrived on Tuesday, marking the end of NAHCON’s airlift of Nigerian pilgrims from Saudi Arabia.

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