Low registrations across the 36 states and Abuja have hit the preparations of 2025 Hajj as deadline expires Friday.
21st CENTURY CHRONICLE reports that only 51,447 pilgrims have paid as against the 95,000 slots given to Nigeria.
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) said the same number of slots have been allocated for 2025, and attributed the low regstration to the high hajj fares and short payment window.
Pilgrims who hav registered coughed out between N8.3m and N8.7m for this year’s operations while those booking undertaking private tour pay higher fares.
NAHCON said Saudi Arabia set the early payment deadline, which demands all participating countries to make final agreements four months before the start of the hajj to allow for better logistics planning.
It is not certain if tthere would be an extension like it happened last year.
In the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), only 700 intending pilgrims had registered with the territory’s Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board at the end of the deadline.
The board was given 4,148 seats, with the Jaiz Bank hajj scheme taking 40 per cent (1,659) as the the remaining 60 per cent (2,489) were for general pilgrims.
The FCT board’s spokesperson, Muhammad Lawal Aliyu, said intending pilgrims were are still rushing to make payments, adding that the final count will be determined after the deadline.
