•Tinubu
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered an immediate reduction in the 2026 Hajj fare to reflect the recent appreciation of the naira against the dollar, a major determinant of pilgrimage costs.
Vice President Kashim Shettima, who conveyed the president’s directive yesterday during a meeting with the management and board members of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, gave the Commission two days to produce a new and affordable fare structure, reports The Nation.
In a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications in the Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha, VP Shettima said the directive was necessary to ensure that Nigerian pilgrims benefit directly from the positive effects of the ongoing economic reforms, particularly the strengthened value of the naira.
Shettima called for closer collaboration among NAHCON, state governments, and other relevant agencies to harmonise the revised fares and ensure smooth coordination of the 2026 pilgrimage.
He also emphasised the need for prompt payments and remittances to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to guarantee a seamless Hajj operation.
Addressing reporters after the meeting, Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Senator Ibrahim Hadeija, said the meeting was convened to finalise preparations for the 2026 Hajj and review the cost structure in light of the improved exchange rate.
“Rates have continued to improve steadily with the appreciation of the naira, based on the effects of government reforms. If pilgrims paid N8.5 million to N8.6 million last year due to a weaker exchange rate, the improvement in the economy should now reflect in the new fares. The Vice President made it clear that the benefits of the stronger naira must be passed on to the pilgrims,” Hadeija explained.
NAHCON’s Secretary, Dr. Mustapha Mohammad, welcomed the president’s directive, saying it would make the spiritual journey more accessible to Nigerian Muslims.
“It is a welcome development. The lower the Hajj fare, the better for Muslim faithful intending to perform Hajj. As directed by the vice president, we will work tirelessly between today and tomorrow to reduce the cost to the barest minimum and make it affordable for every Muslim,” he said.
Also, the Chairman of the Kebbi State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board and Deputy Chairman of the Forum of Chief Executives of Pilgrims Boards, Alhaji Faruk Aliyu Yaro, praised the president and the vice president for their intervention.
“We are very happy because the president and the vice president have already intervened. We thank God for what they have done, which will bring down the cost of Hajj fare. We are delighted”, Yaro said.
