A Saudi-designated Nigerian hajj air carrier, Flynas and other airlines that airlifted pilgrims for 2023 hajj have agreed to receive payment of their debts in naira, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has revealed.
The commission announced this in a statement by its spokesperson Fatima Sanda Usara on Thursday.
Other airlines that airlifted pilgrims in 2023 are Aero Contractors, Max Air, Air Peace and Azman.
Flynas was allocated 29,296 Nigerian pilgrims from Lagos, Osun, Ogun, Niger, Borno, Yobe, Kebbi, Sokoto, and Zamfara states.
NAHCON allocated 16, 326 to Max Air, 11,348 to Air Peace, 8,660 to Azman Air, and 7,833 to Aero Contractors.
She said the resolution was reached after a meeting between NAHCON and the representatives of the hajj air carriers in Abuja on Thursday.
It would be recalled that the air ticket fee for the 2023 Hajj was $2,026.00 (two thousand Dollars twenty-six Cents) at a concessionary rate of $456 (four hundred and fifty-six Naira) to a Dollar. In Naira equivalent, pilgrims paid N923,856.00 as the cost of a return ticket.
The statement said, “Unfortunately, by the time the Hajj airlift was concluded, the dollar had already risen leading to the predicament. The Dollar volatility since then kept worsening the situation. A series of meetings to resolve the matter had always ended in a log jam with the airlines insisting on payment in Dollars as stated in the contract.
“Considering the protracted predicament, Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima intervened with an appeal to the airlines to accept payment of the airfare in Naira in the face of Dollar scarcity. Hence, the Commission yesterday, 18th September 2024 invited the airlines for a resolution of the matter.@
Speaking during the consultative meeting, Commissioner Policy, Personnel Management and Finance, Alhaji Aliu Abdulrazaq who led the deliberations recognized the airlines for their mutual understanding and demonstration of loyalty for a long term partnership. He prayed that by the end of the meeting, both parties would reach a common ground.
In his remarks, Commissioner Operations, Prince Anofi Elegushi, observed that the outstanding payment was overdue and praised the airlines for their magnanimity. He lamented that the reason for this stalemate was the insistence by the airlines to receive payment only in Dollars, but a shift in this stance would hopefully end further delay in settling the debt.
Consequently, the airlines’ representatives expressed their frustrations but subsequently agreed with the proposed Naira payment and promised to work with the Commission in ending the log-jam.
