By GARBA MUHAMMAD, Kaduna

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has announced the official fare for the 2022 Hajj.

The fare varies according to geo-political zones and regions.

Intending pilgrims from Southern Nigeria are to pay N2,496,815.29; Northern pilgrims are to pay N2,449,607.89, while Maiduguri and Adamawa in the North-eastern Nigeria are to pay N2,408,197.89.

The announcement was made by the NAHCON Chairman, Alhaji Zikrullah Kunle Hassan, on Saturday in an extraordinary meeting with Chief Executives of Muslim Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards in the NAHCON Hajj House headquarters.

"The variation in the cost of fare is due to proximity to Saudi Arabia. The air ticket cost is the major difference in the Hajj fare,” Hassan said.

The chairman reminded the gathering that all stakeholders do not have the luxury of time and from experience, Saudi Arabia would not add an hour extra, once the deadline for landing is due.

He further informed that the Commission has requested for more Hajj seats, and was awaiting response from the Saudi authorities.

He, therefore, urged all states, in the mean time, to work with and exhaust the allocations they have been granted, instead of waiting for more.

On the issue of difficulty in acquiring travel passports, Alhaji Hassan said that the board member representing Nigeria Immigration Service has promised to assist any state board having problems processing the travel document for their pilgrims.

He therefore directed the state boards’ Executive Secretaries to contact her for assistance.

He advised that while visas of officials and pilgrims in the inaugural flight are ready, the states should start visa processing for all categories of registered pilgrims.

The Chairman also stated that pilgrims would get their covid-19 PCR test done at a discounted rate of N30,000.

Alhaji Nura Hassan Yakassai, NAHCON’s Commissioner in charge of Policy, Personnel Management and Finance encouraged the states to conclude fund remittance to fast-track Hajj preparations and for processing of Basic Travelling Allowances.

The gathering appreciated the effort put in place by the NAHCON Chairman in achieving this feat on behalf of Nigerian pilgrims.

In his closing remarks, the chairman of Forum of States, Alhaji Idris Ahmed Al’ Makura, praised the NAHCON board for the commendable job and called for cooperation from all quarters.

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