The Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman, has attributed the late payments for services rendered during the 2025 Hajj to recent policy changes introduced by Saudi Arabian authorities.
Speaking at the 2025 Post-Hajj Lecture and Recognition Event organised by the Independent Hajj Reporters (IHR) in Abuja, Usman explained that the new Saudi payment requirements disrupted the commission’s established financial schedule.
Represented by the Commissioner of Operations, Prince Anofi Olanrewaju Elegushi, Usman said the shift meant that payments now had to be completed before the Umrah season, rather than after, as had been the practice.
“Unlike previous Hajj exercises when payments were made after Umrah in Ramadan, all payments are now required in advance,” Usman stated. “This made it difficult to align with Nigeria’s financial calendar, hence the delay.”
Stakeholders at the event called for the establishment of a National Hajj Policy to address recurring financial challenges. They argued that the absence of a formal framework prevents financial institutions from extending credit facilities to states or NAHCON, especially since many intending pilgrims rely on seasonal income such as harvests to pay for the pilgrimage.
Delivering the keynote address, Dr. Shehu Usman Muhammed, a former Commissioner for Local Government in Kaduna State, explained that the seasonal nature of pilgrims’ finances often results in delayed remittances to NAHCON. He added that without legal instruments guaranteeing repayment, banks are reluctant to provide bridging loans to cover deadlines set by Saudi authorities.
“The commission cannot generate funds on its own. It must wait for payments from states, which in turn depend on when pilgrims are financially ready,” Dr. Muhammed said. He recommended a structured savings scheme backed by law, noting that similar models in Pakistan, Indonesia, and Malaysia have successfully supported pilgrims’ payments.
In his remarks, the National Coordinator of IHR, Ibrahim Muhammed, highlighted additional challenges, including what he described as the “luxurisation” of Hajj services. He warned that the growing emphasis on luxury tents, VIP facilities, and comfort packages risks shifting attention away from the spiritual essence of the pilgrimage.
“The focus is gradually moving from attaining Hajj mabrur to demands for extravagant facilities,” he said. “Such expectations put unnecessary pressure on administrators and distort the true purpose of the exercise.”
The event, themed “In the Interest of the Pilgrims”, brought together stakeholders to review the 2025 Hajj operations and explore ways to strengthen Nigeria’s capacity to meet evolving financial and administrative requirements for future pilgrimages.
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