The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has said that pilgrims who registered for the 2024 Hajj before the previous deadline of 12 February will now have to pay a balance of N1.9 million in accordance with the current exchange rate.
NAHCON enjoined pilgrims to pay up the balance before 29 March 2024, when the commission will shut down its systems and cease to accommodate payments.
This was contained in a statement titled “NAHCON releases new developments on 2024 Hajj” by NAHCON’s Assistant Director of Public Affairs, Fatima Usara, on Sunday.
The commission had in February reviewed Hajj fare prices to N4,699,000 for Northern pilgrims; N4,899,000 for Southern pilgrims and N4,679,000 for pilgrims from Adamawa State after earlier fixing the minimum fare prices at N4.5 million in October 2023.
In her statement, Usara explained that late and non-remittances of fares pushed the commission beyond the deadline given by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, noting, however, that the government had intervened by appealing for cost reductions.
The intervention could not cover pilgrims who had paid the initial fare, leading to calls for state governments’ and individuals’ support for the pilgrims, which reduced the balance to N1.9 million
“The good news now is that with naira having appreciated to N1,474.00 to a dollar over the preceding week and after due consultation with stakeholders, coupled with NAHCON’s desire to ensure equitable spread of the Federal Government’s intervention to all the already registered pilgrims whose payments have been received, the commission resolved that each pilgrim would now have to pay a balance of N1,918,032.91 in accordance with the current foreign exchange rate.
“Intending pilgrims that still wish to participate in the 2024 Hajj are by this release advised to proceed and pay a balance of N1,918,032.91 latest by 11:59 pm of 28th March 2024. The commission will shut down its system by 29th March and no other payment would be accommodated after”, the statement read.
Meanwhile, intending pilgrims registering for the first time will now have to pay no less than N8 million as total fare for the Hajj exercise.
“However, any new registration for 2024 Hajj from today, 24th of March, will attract the full sum of N8,225,464.74 from the Adamawa/Borno axis. From the North zone, fresh depositors will pay N8,254,464.74, whereas fresh payments from the Southern zone will attract N8,454,464.74 as Hajj fare All categories are to pay within the same deadline”, the statement added.
Pilgrims who wish to withdraw their funds have also been advised to formally request from their States’ Pilgrim Boards, while stakeholders willing to intervene on behalf of their pilgrims have been urged to do so within the next four days.
