The Chairman/CEO, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, Barr. Zikrullah Kunle Hassan has hinted that the 2024 Hajj is going to be more expensive.
The Chairman have the hint during the first review meeting after 2023 Hajj with heads of state pilgrims boards and tour operators, held on Tuesday at the Hajj House, Abuja.
Recall that Nigerian pilgrims had paid up to more than N2.9 million as 2023 Hajj fare.
However, the NAHCON Boss, in his welcome remarks at the meeting, said prospective pilgrims should prepare to pay higher amount to go to Saudi Arabia to perform the holy exercise.
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He attributed the expected increase in Hajj fare to the continued rise in exchange rate as dollar is exchanged at up to N714 at CBN rate.
I must however tell you that the next year’s Hajj is going to be expensive and this is something we must prepare for. We must prepare for this, starting from today.
“I am not saying that we will be able to know the cost today, but what we are able to know is that the next year’s Hajj is going to be expensive and i must tell you why.
“One is the rate of forex exchanges as we speak now, at N714 per dollar. If we multiply this with the dollars of 2023 Hajj, you can imagine how many more millions you will need to add to the cost of Hajj.
“The government is clear on it. There is going to be one rate, as far as the forex is concerned. If it is N714 in the bank, i don’t know. I pray it come down,” he said.
The NAHCON Chairman also stated that preparations for the 2024 Hajj had already commenced and the calendar is out.
He added that he would distribute the calendar to the pilgrims board heads and tour operators to serve as “constant reminder to them.”
He added that visa issuance to prospective pilgrims would close by the 29th of April next year, adding that 10 days after, pilgrims would begin to arrive at the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
He pointed out that last-minute issuance of visa has been banned by Saudi Arabia, adding that the Kingdom made the decision “in order to know the actual number of pilgrims prior to Arafat”.
He explained that issuance of Visa for the next year’s 2024 hajj would be closed 40 to 45 days before Arafat.
Alhaji Hassan said this is in accordance with the new Saudia Arabia policy in order to have the exact records of the pilgrim who would be performing Hajj for the year.
He also announced that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia had allocated 70,000 slots to Nigeria for 2024 Hajj.
