Mall. Jalal Arabi, the head of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), shared details on how the N90 billion approved by President Bola Tinubu for the 2024 Hajj was used.
At a press conference in Abuja, Arabi explained that because of changes in foreign exchange rates by the Central Bank of Nigeria, the money pilgrims had paid earlier was no longer enough. The commission asked for a special exchange rate of N850 per dollar but instead got N90 billion from the presidency.
Arabi said, “By February 12, 2024, the rising foreign exchange rates meant we had to adjust the Hajj fare from the original N4.9 million. Pilgrims would have needed an extra N3.6 million due to these changes.”
The N90 billion was used to help cover these costs. “We’re thankful to President Bola Tinubu for this quick approval,” Arabi noted. He explained that the funds were carefully managed so pilgrims wouldn’t need to pay more than the initial N4.9 million. Each pilgrim received about N1.637 million from this support, and those in the Hajj Savings Scheme got even more.
On the issue of pilgrim deaths, Arabi reported that around 30 Nigerians died, with only a few due to heat waves.
He welcomed any suggestions for future improvements and assured that any complaints would be taken seriously, with appropriate action taken for any violations.
