The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria and the Forum of State Executive Secretaries of Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards, Agencies, and Commissions have jointly established the minimum deposit for the 2024 Hajj pilgrimage exercise at N4.5 million.
According to The PUNCH, this decision, driven by economic factors, was disclosed by Fatima Usara, the Assistant Director of Public Affairs at NAHCON, in a statement released on Thursday.
The rationale behind this decision is to align the minimum deposit with the prevailing dollar exchange rate, which will ultimately determine the total cost of the forthcoming Hajj.
The agreement on this deposit amount was reached during a post-Hajj meeting that took place on September 5, in which NAHCON and its stakeholders decided on the N4.5 million as the minimum deposit required for individuals intending to register for the 2024 pilgrimage.
NAHCON has stressed that this decision is essential for states to accurately estimate the number of eligible pilgrims by November 4, and with this deposit amount, any additional payments required when the final fare is calculated will be kept to a minimum.
“The said meeting ended with members agreeing unanimously with this plan. Indeed, the Hajj industry in Nigeria is recognised under only one leadership, which is the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, and this institution reiterates that the minimum deposit for the 2024 Hajj remains N4.5m. The balance will be determined by the cost of the dollar at the time of final Hajj fare computation,” the body stated.
This revised deposit rate will enable NAHCON to negotiate for a more realistic and accurate cost structure for various aspects of the pilgrimage, including accommodation, airline fares, and feeding.
The statement issued by NAHCON emphasizes that this decision was unanimously agreed upon by all stakeholders at the meeting.
The statement also added that NAHCON will not assume responsibility if a pilgrim who has paid a lower deposit amount is deemed ineligible for the 2024 Hajj.
