Zamfara pays hajj pilgrims $100 each after currency movements devalue their travel allowance

ZAMFARA State is paying each of the 1,718 pilgrims going on pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia this year a sum of $100 to augment their basic travel allowances (BTA) after currency fluctuations eroded the amounts paid them by the federal government's hajj commission.

After close of registration, the official number of intending pilgrims that registered for the 2024 hajj from Nigeria stood at 51,447. This is way below Nigeria's official quota of 95,000 as the hard economic times in the country have limited the number of applicants and the government has thus stepped in with a subsidy package.

According to Alhaji Musa Mallaha, the chairman of the Zamfara State Hajj Commission, arrangements have been concluded for the 1,718 pilgrims from the state to be airlifted to Saudi Arabia on May 30. Alhaji Buhari Maijega, the commissioner in charge of entertainment for the pilgrims, added that they are from the 14 local government areas of the state were informed to be prepared to be called at any moment.

Alhaji Maijega said the state government under Governor Dauda Lawal, supported the pilgrims with $100 each to complete their BTA from $419 to the $500 requirement. He added that this year, intending pilgrims encountered problems of less BTA where they only have less than what they are supposed to posses and the governor decided to support them to complete the needed allowance.

“When compared with previous years where a pilgrims would be provided with enough BTA of $700 or up to $1,000 by the National Hajj Commission (Nahcon), this year looks different where they were only provided with only $419 and the state government considered it very low, so decided to provide each of the 1,718 of them with $100," Alhaji Maijega added.

He further explained further that the Nahcon initially announced a $500 BTA for Nigerian pilgrims at the exchange rate of N1, 250 to US dollar. However, the prevailing volatility of exchange rate to over N1,500 to the US dollar reduced the approved $500 BTA to $418 per pilgrim.

Alhaji Maijega pointed out that the gesture by the Zamfara State governor was to relieve the pilgrims of the financial burden of travelling, while enabling them to participate in the spiritual experience. He said all adequate arrangements have been made both at home and in the holy land and the pilgrims have been enlightened on the Nahcon rules and regulations.

“We have enlightened the pilgrims on especially how to ensure they do not involve themselves on carrying suspicious drugs in their luggage to Saudi Arabia. They were also warned against those criminals who appear to be honest and later cheated them while carrying their BTA or exchange with Saudi riyals," he added.