President Bola Tinubu has ordered the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria to immediately review and reduce the 2026 Hajj fares earlier announced by the commission.
The directive followed a meeting held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Monday between officials of NAHCON and the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Senator Ibrahim Hadeija.
Speaking after the meeting, Hadeija said the President and Vice-President Kashim Shettima considered the current fares too high and insisted that intending pilgrims must benefit from the recent appreciation of the naira.
“This meeting was convened at the instance of the Vice-President to look into the possibility of reducing the 2026 Hajj fare,” Hadeija said.
“The fares were calculated based on an exchange rate of ₦1,550 to the dollar, which was a pessimistic projection. But the naira has continued to strengthen as a result of the government’s economic reforms.”
NAHCON had earlier pegged the 2026 Hajj fares at ₦8.32 million for pilgrims from Maiduguri–Yola Zone (Yobe, Borno, Adamawa, and Taraba States), ₦8.24 million for Northern states, and ₦8.56 million for Southern states.
However, Hadeija explained that with the improved exchange rate, the federal government expects a downward review to between ₦7.6 million and ₦7.7 million.
“If during the last pilgrimage pilgrims paid around ₦8.5 to ₦8.6 million, it is only fair that with the naira appreciating, we pass the benefit to them,” he said.
“The Hajj Commission has been directed to immediately review the fares based on a more realistic exchange rate.”
He added that the final figures would be made public within two days but emphasized that the reduction depends largely on how fast state pilgrim boards remit payments.
“The earlier the pilgrims pay and the funds are remitted to the Hajj Commission, the quicker NAHCON can process the exchange with the Central Bank,” Hadeija explained.
“If this is achieved, pilgrims will enjoy a significant reduction in fares.”
In reaction, the Chairman of the Kebbi State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Alhaji Faruk Yaro, expressed gratitude to the President and Vice-President for the intervention.
“We are very happy with this development,” Yaro said. “The President and Vice-President have shown great concern for the welfare of Nigerian Muslims, and this decision will greatly ease the financial burden on intending pilgrims.”
Similarly, NAHCON Secretary, Dr. Mustapha Mohammad, welcomed the directive, describing it as a step that would make Hajj more accessible.
“This is a welcome development,” he said. “The lower the fare, the more Muslims will have the opportunity to perform this important pillar of Islam. We will work tirelessly to bring the cost down to an affordable rate.”
The commission is expected to release the revised 2026 Hajj fares within the week after consultations with relevant stakeholders and financial institutions.
