A storm of confusion has erupted as allegations surface of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s approval of N24.143 billion as a subsidy for the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) to settle the foreign exchange differential for intending Muslim pilgrims.
According to a leaked document dated October 19, 2023, the Office of the Vice President, Kasim Shettima, reportedly conveyed the approval of the aforementioned sum to cover the FX exchange rate differential that occurred during the hajj exercise, affecting payments to air carriers. Furthermore, in a subsequent letter dated December 11, 2023, the Minister of Finance, Olawale Edun, purportedly stated that the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation recommended sourcing the approved funds from the 15 percent wheat grain levy pool account (no 0020258341106).
This development has sparked outrage among some Nigerians, questioning the decision to allocate funds for pilgrimage amidst the prevailing hardship and hunger caused by soaring food prices.
In response to these claims, Mousa Ubandawaki, Deputy Director of Information and Publication at NAHCON, professed unawareness of any such approvals from the Presidency. He mentioned that the Chairman of the Commission, Jalal Ahmad Arabi, would address the matter in an upcoming briefing.
Arabi, who was appointed as Chairman of NAHCON on October 19 by the President, officially commenced his tenure on January 17, 2024.
In a separate development, NAHCON announced the final prices for the 2024 Hajj trip on February 3, 2024. Southern pilgrims were quoted a fee of N4,899,000, while their counterparts in the north were required to pay N4,699,000. Pilgrims from Yola and Maiduguri were asked to remit N4,679,000 for the pilgrimage.
The registration deadline for intending pilgrims from the 36 states, Federal Capital Territory, and private tour operators closed last week on February 12, 2024.
It is noteworthy that since the Central Bank of Nigeria implemented reforms on January 29, 2024, including the revision to the FMDQ FX Market Rate Pricing Methodology, Nigeria’s exchange rate has jumped from N900 on January 26 to a range between N1,400 and over 1,500 per US dollar. On the most recent Friday, the Naira was traded at N1,537.96 per US dollar, as per FMDQ data.
