The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has said 2022 hajj fares may go above N2.5 million, more than 50 percent increase of the N1.5 million paid in 2019.
By this, pilgrims who have made deposits to the various state pilgrims boards since 2020 would have to pay at least N1 million balance to enable them travel for the pilgrimage.
The Chairman/CEO of NAHCON Zikirullah Hassan disclosed this at a meeting with executives of the state pilgrims boards for the preparation of the 2022 hajj.
He said the projection of the increase is due to the economic realities and other factors.
Mr Hassan said, “The projection is on the increase because as of 2019, the exchange rate for hajj was N306 but now it will be at N410 to a dollar.
“We all know that hajj is 97 percent by foreign exchange for food airlines and others.”
The NAHCON chief said that, “Saudi Arabia has increased their VAT from five percent to 15 percent. What they also said is that they have made a massive investment in Mina and Arafat.”
He said the intended pilgrims would be required to be fully vaccinated with a booster shot, saying that a PCR test is also a must.
Speaking on how the exchange would be conducted with the backlog of payment already made, Mr Hassan said selection would be made based on a first-come-first-serve basis with a sharing formula of 40 percent for the regular hajj and 60 percent for those on Hajj Savings Scheme.
While stating that 43,008 slots were given to Nigeria 33,976 will go to states with 9,032 going to private tour operators.
21st CENTURY CHRONICLE reports that this is against the 95,000 seats allocated to the country before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Saudi authorities had banned foreign pilgrims from hajj in 2020 and 2021 because of the pandemic.
However, even when Nigeria had 95,000 hajj seats allocation (75,000 for states and 20,000 for tour operators), 21st CENTURY CHRONICLE reports that the country hardly utilises the total allocation.
In 2019 for instance, only little over 60,000 Nigerian pilgrims performed the hajj at the holy land.
