The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, says it has refunded N5.3bn to State Pilgrims Welfare Boards and tour operators for poorly rendered services during the 2023 Hajj.
In a statement signed by the Head of Public Affairs, Muhammad Musa, the commission announced the refund of N4.4bn to the Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards, the FCT and the Armed Forces, and N917m to 192 accredited tour companies that participated in the 2023 Hajj.
He said the refunds underscored the commitment of the NAHCON Chairman, Professor Abdullahi Usman, to uphold transparency and accountability in the management of Hajj operations.
The commission therefore urged pilgrims who participated in the 2023 Hajj to contact their respective SPWBs or tour operators to claim their refunds, adding that each pilgrim was entitled to receive a refund of N61,080.00.
In a list attached to the statement, over 73,336 pilgrims are expected to receive the refunds, across the 36 states of the federation and the FCT, with Kaduna, Kano, Sokoto, Zamfara, Kwara, Lagos and the FCT having some of the highest number.
The statement read in part: “The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria is hereby informing the public that it has disbursed refunds amounting to N4,479,362,880.00 to States’ Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards, the Federal Capital Territory and the Armed Forces. These refunds pertain to the Masha’ir electricity services not rendered properly by the Saudi authorities during the 2023 Hajj exercise.
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“In addition, the commission has refunded a sum of N917,148,479.99 to 192 accredited tour companies that participated in the 2023 Hajj. This amount is intended for onward disbursement to their respective pilgrims, while the remaining participating companies will also be refunded after due reconciliation”.
“This refund underscores NAHCON’s commitment, under the leadership of its Chairman/CEO, Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman, to uphold transparency and accountability in the management of Hajj operations.
“All pilgrims who participated in the 2023 Hajj are advised to contact their respective State Pilgrims’ Welfare Agencies, Boards and Commissions or tour operators to claim their refunds. Each pilgrim is entitled to receive a refund of N61,080.00. A detailed breakdown of the number of pilgrims per state and the corresponding amounts is attached to this press statement.”
NAHCON also called on all intending pilgrims for the 2025 Hajj to promptly deposit their fares with their respective State Boards, to ensure the timely transmission of funds to the commission, and facilitate early arrangements of the 2025 Hajj in compliance with the guidelines set by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
It also called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission to monitor the refunds “in the interest of transparency and due process.”
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