The cost of the 2024 Hajj shot up to N6 million due to the volatile currency situation in Nigeria
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria has urged pilgrims who registered for the 2024 Hajj before the previous deadline of February 12 to pay a balance of N1.9million in accordance with the current exchange rate.
The commission had on February 3 fixed N4.9 million as the 2024 Hajj fare for intending pilgrims from the Southern departure centre.
Malam Jalal Arabi, the Chairman of NAHCON, in a statement said the commission had secured substantial discount from service providers in Saudi Arabia to reduce the cost of the pilgrimage on the intending pilgrims.
“The cost of the 2024 Hajj shot up to N6 million due to the volatile currency situation in Nigeria, but for the commission’s intervention by consolidating the gains achieved in lowering the cost of services.
”Consequently, intending pilgrims from Nigeria’s Southern centre are required to pay N4,8million as Hajj fare.
“Those from the Northern centre will pay N4,6million , for the Hajj and pilgrims from Yola and Maiduguri centre will pay a fee of N4,6million for the 2024 Hajj.
“This is the will of Allah, because the commission, facing a tight deadline of February 25, has limited time to explore further options to remain within the range of N4.5million which it assiduously worked for,” he said.
The commission however, said with the new forex policy, Nigerian pilgrims would be saddled with an unexpected increase in Hajj cost.
The commission said inspite of the fact that intending pilgrims paid N4.9 million, depending on the departure zone as approved by government, they have to pay a balance of N1,9 million.
“Affected pilgrims are advised to visit their respective state pilgrims boards to confirm their status. ”
The commission said that any new registration for 2024 Hajj from March 24 would attract the full sum of N8.2million from the Adamawa/Borno axis.Exchange rate: Registered intending pilgrims to pay additional N1.9m