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Intending pilgrims for 2024 Hajj may pay as much as N6m – Operators raise alarm
“Another problem is the cost of Hajj this year. Last year we operated at N3 million; now it could go up to N6 million. That is why we are calling on those who want to perform Hajj this year to endeavor to pay their Hajj fare as early as possible.
The Association of Hajj and Umrah Operators of Nigeria, AHUON has raised alarm over possibility of a skyrocketing Hajj fare in 2024, saying intending pilgrims may pay as much as N6 million as against N3 million paid during the 2023 exercise in Saudi Arabia.
The National President of AHUON, Alhaji Yahya Suleiman Nasidi, raised the alarm while speaking in Kano during the 2024 Hajj sensitization seminar, with a theme, “Hajj 2024: New Challenges, Boundless Opportunity,” on Wednesday.
Nasidi expressed worry that the fare could be double the 2023 amount due to the rising rate of the US dollar.
He called on the Federal Government and the National Hajj Commission, NAHCON to help them in the deposition of their 2024 Hajj Funds in Saudi Arabia.
According to him, “we had not been having any forex allocation from the government, but we are still doing our businesses with the forex from markets.
“We are afraid that is what would happen now without the intervention of the government.
“Another problem is the cost of Hajj this year. Last year we operated at N3 million; now it could go up to N6 million. That is why we are calling on those who want to perform Hajj this year to endeavor to pay their Hajj fare as early as possible.
“So, if payment is not made, one can’t get a visa and can’t travel, so the problems are from all angles related to the forex issue. This is a problem that even if we are going to get it from outside, we still need to transfer it as an offshore payment,” Nasidi stated.
