President Bola Tinubu has directed the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) to urgently review and slash the cost of the 2026 pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia, citing the recent appreciation of the naira.
The President’s order was disclosed on Monday by his Deputy Chief of Staff, Senator Ibrahim Hadeija, after a high-level meeting with NAHCON officials at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
NAHCON had earlier fixed the fares at N8,318,336.67 for the Maiduguri-Yola Zone covering Yobe, Borno, Adamawa, and Taraba States, N8,244,813.67 for Northern States, and N8,561,013.67 for Southern States.
Hadeija explained that the fares were pegged using an exchange rate of N1,550 per dollar, but with the naira gaining strength under ongoing economic reforms, pilgrims should benefit from a downward review.
“This meeting was essentially called at the instance of His Excellency, the Vice-President, to look at the possibility of reducing the Hajj fare for the 2026 pilgrimage,” he said.
“The fares were based on a pessimistic exchange rate. Since the naira has continued to appreciate, pilgrims deserve to enjoy the benefits. If more realistic exchange rates are applied, fares should drop to between N7.6m and N7.7m. The final figure will be announced in the next two days,” Hadeija added.
He further advised State Muslim Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards to remit payments early to NAHCON to enable the commission secure dollars at lower rates from the Central Bank of Nigeria.
“The faster the pilgrims pay, the easier it becomes for the commission to access foreign exchange at cheaper rates. That way, we can guarantee a significant reduction in Hajj fares,” he stressed.
In his reaction, the Secretary of NAHCON, Dr. Mustapha Mohammad, welcomed the development, assuring that the commission would comply with the directive.
“It is a welcome move. The lower the Hajj fare, the more Muslims will have the opportunity to perform the pilgrimage. As directed by the Vice-President, we will work tirelessly to ensure the adjustment is effected immediately,” he said.
Muslim faithful across the country have in recent years lamented the rising cost of Hajj, which last year stood between N8.5m and N8.6m, forcing many intending pilgrims to withdraw.
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