A prominent Hajj monitoring and reporting organisation, Independent Hajj Reporters (IHR), has called on the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) to immediately refund the excess fares paid by intending pilgrims for the 2025 Hajj exercise due to recent exchange rate fluctuations.
IHR has revealed that 26,287 confirmed intending pilgrims, who paid their Hajj fares before the February 10 deadline, are entitled to an average refund of N437,000 each.
The call for a refund stems from an analysis of the Hajj fare template, which revealed that NAHCON initially calculated the cost of the 2025 pilgrimage based on an exchange rate of N1,600 per US dollar.
However, the Naira later appreciated, with the exchange rate dropping to N1,507 per dollar as of February 13.
This change resulted in a differential of N93 per dollar, which IHR argues should be reimbursed to the pilgrims.
According to IHR, intending pilgrims from the northern region paid $4,704.18, while those from the southern region paid $4,908.18. With the updated exchange rate, the excess amount paid by each pilgrim is substantial.
The group emphasized that these funds, already available, should be refunded promptly, urging NAHCON to act before the Hajj exercise begins.
Ibrahim Mohammed, the National Coordinator of IHR, stressed the importance of processing the refunds without delay.
In a statement, he said, “We call on NAHCON not to wait until after the Hajj exercise to process these refunds. The funds are already available and will assist pilgrims in covering additional expenses for their stay in the holy land.”
The organisation further highlighted that issuing the refunds now would promote greater transparency within NAHCON and align with the commission’s commitment to accountability under its current leadership.
NAHCON had earlier disclosed that the total cost of the 2025 Hajj exceeded N8 million per pilgrim, with payments required to be deposited into its accounts by February 10.
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