Prices of Nigerian pilgrims’ accommodations have skyrocketed in Makkah, the holy city of Saudi Arabia, creating fear that the Hajj fare for 2023 exercise could be higher than previous years, Hajj Reporters has learned.
Checks by the Hajj Reporters indicated that the prices have soared due to the fact that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia had started demolishing some accommodations previously used by Nigerian pilgrims, to pave way for their new development plan.
This is unlike in 2022 when only one million pilgrims performed Hajj, over 3 million pilgrims are expected to perform hajj this years, meaning more number of pilgrims and fewer accommodations, situation that was said to be a huge challenge in preparation for this year’s holy exercise.
Checks by HAJJ REPORTERS revealed that most hotels within Hijra streets in Misfala had now been marked for demolition, while others had already been pulled down.
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Sokoto, Katsina, Kaduna, Bauchi, Kano, Kwara, Plateau and Niger states provide their pilgrims accommodations within the Misfala by Hijra and Ibrahim Khalil Road in Makkah, but the Saudi authorities had converted the hotels to tourism thus limiting the choices of securing a relatively cheaper accommodation for Nigerian pilgrims.
It was also gathered that countries like Indonesia, Bangladesh, Pakistan who are operating five years hajj rolling plan were able to booked for accommodation because of huge sums of money at their disposal.
”Pilgrims who intend to perform hajj in those countries make payment five years before the time of hajj. The Prices of Air ticket has sky rocketed couple with the high exchange rate.
“Because of these, Nigerian 2023 hajj fare may be far higher than anticipated,” Hajj Reporters, which exclusively reports Hajj and Umrah activities reports.
However, Hajj Reporters observed thst the preparation for the 2023 hajj exercise is in top gear, and in view of the announcement of the hajj fare, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, has urged Muslim pilgrims’ boards across the country to insist on a quality and commensurately cheaper accommodation for their pilgrims.
According to the Commission, the quick intervention of the Muslim pilgrims’ boards would be a measure to brings down the 2023 hajj fare a little.
This was asserted during the second pre-Hajj meeting with the Chief Executives of States Muslim Pilgrims Boards, accommodation providers and 2023 Hajj selected caterers on Sunday where the NAHCON gave the advice in Makkah.
According to a source who spoke with Hajj Reporters in Makkah disclosed that NAHCON’s commissioner of finance who presided over the meeting tasked all stakeholders to ensuring that quality accommodation at lower prices are provided during the forthcoming hajj exercise.
