Hajj 2024 has experienced an all-time low in registration as Nigeria may not be able to fill all the 95,000 hajj seats allocated to it for this year’s pilgrimage as many intending pilgrims are yet to either deposit the fare or pay the balance.
The depreciation of the Nigerian currency, the Naira, has jacked up the hajj fare to N4.9 million for this year’s intending pilgrims from the initial minimum of N4.5 million pegged by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON).
Sequel to an adjustment in the methodology for setting the exchange rate, the naira slid to a record low on January 30, 2024, selling for 1,413 against the dollar at the official window.
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The NAHCON had, on February 3, said intending pilgrims for this year’s hajj from southern states were required to pay N4,899,000; those from northern states, N4,699,000 and those from Yola and Maiduguri, N4,679,000.
The final datelin the commission gave intending for final payments to enable the commission to transfer the money to the service providers before the February 25 deadline set by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, elapses today.
The NAHCON had allocated a total of 75,000 hajj slots to the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory and 20,000 to private tour operators.
Although the commission did not disclose the total number of intending pilgrims that had so far registered, findings revealed that most of the states were yet to fill half of the slots given them.