The Chairman/CEO of the National Hajj Commission (NAHCON), Prof. Abdullahi Saleh Usman, has said the commission is working hard to ensure reduction in 2025 hajj fare which was projected to hit N10 million.

Although the commission has not announced the fare, it confirmed that the federal government would not subsidise hajj payment for pilgrims in 2025.

Daily Trust had reported how the subsidy removal could hike the hajj fare by almost N10million if the naira maintains its current rate of N1,650 to a dollar.

Speaking to BBC Hausa service on, the NAHCON Chairman said the commission is working round the clock to ensure there is a reduction in the amount intending pilgrims would pay for the 2025 hajj operation.

He said, “Firstly, this is not our hope, and this is not what we want to happen. There has not been any announcement that it will happen. What we are doing, and based on the advice we are giving and getting, we are working to ensure that it (the fare) did not get there, and we are optimistic and hopeful it will not get there, God willing.

“Our hope is to even have a reduction from what was paid last year, and this is what we are working round the clock to achieve. And we are optimistic that we will achieve this with Allah’s help.”

Asked to comment on the suspension of hajj-related operations by the Association for Hajj and Umrah Operators of Nigeria (AHOUN), Prof. Sale said, “Although I was not in office when the suspension was announced, when I came, I invited them for a meeting where we discussed and reached an agreement. We understood their demands and we will do our level best to ensure that we resolve the issues.

“The issue that they are not going to participate in the 2025 hajj exercise – I think I can say – has been resolved. We had a meeting with them which I presided over. We asked them to advise and give us recommendations on what they think should be done to resolve the issues, they did, and we are going to work on that, in sha Allah.”

[DailyTrust]