₦437,000 for each pilgrim – CSO tackles NAHCON over 2025 Hajj refunds

By Ayorinde Oluokun/Abuja

A faith-based civil society organisation, the Independent Hajj Reporters (IHR) has written a letter to the Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), raising concerns over delays in refunding excess Hajj fare funds to pilgrims who participated in the 2025 Hajj exercise.

IHR, in a in the letter dated January 19, 2026, and signed by its National Coordinator, Ibrahim Muhammad, said its monitoring revealed a significant financial surplus arising from exchange rate differentials during the 2025 Hajj operations.

According to IHR while pilgrims were charged at an exchange rate of ₦1,600 to the dollar, payments for services in Saudi Arabia were reportedly made at rates between ₦1,507 and ₦1,520.

The organisation noted that the exchange rate variation translates to an unutilised balance estimated at between ₦80,000 and ₦93,000 per dollar per pilgrim, with about ₦437,000 allegedly due for refund to each pilgrim who completed full payment by the February 10 deadline.

IHR stated that NAHCON had earlier assured pilgrims and stakeholders that refunds would be made after the completion of post-Hajj financial reconciliation, which it said had already been concluded.

The group therefore called for immediate action, including public disclosure of the total refund amount within seven working days and prompt disbursement to eligible pilgrims through state Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards within 14 working days.

The organisation urged NAHCON to act in the interest of transparency and accountability, stressing that timely refunds would help ease the economic burden on pilgrims and reinforce public trust in Nigeria’s Hajj administration.