The recent directive from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) to immediately review and reduce the 2026 Hajj fares is a monumental development that strongly corroborates the mission of the commission’s Chairman, Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman, which has been to ensure an affordable pilgrimage for all Nigerian Muslims.
The presidential order instructs NAHCON to recalculate the Hajj fares to reflect the current appreciation of the Naira against the Dollar. This is a timely intervention that rescues Nigerian pilgrims from the high costs announced earlier, which were pegged at a “pessimistic exchange rate” of N1,550 to the Dollar. The initial fares ranged from approximately N8.1 million to N8.5 million across the various zones. The new directive is expected to bring the cost down significantly, with projections suggesting a reduction to probably between N7.6 million and N7.7 million.
The enthusiasm with which the NAHCON Chairman received the news is understandable, as it validates his long-held commitment to cost-efficiency. From the onset of his tenure, Professor Saleh-Usman has made affordability and pilgrim welfare his non-negotiable mission.
While the new fare reduction is primarily a benefit of the Naira’s improvement, it is built upon the foundation of cost-saving measures already implemented by the NAHCON leadership. One of the key achievements of the current NAHCON leadership is by securing cost relief to pilgrims. Even prior to the forex gains, Professor Saleh-Usman’s strategic negotiations with Saudi service providers had already secured a massive N19 billion in total cost relief for the 2026 Hajj. This was achieved by securing a reduction of over N200,000 per pilgrim on service costs, a vital saving for the over 66,000 pilgrims allocated to Nigeria.
Another giant stride taken by the NAHCON chairman is the optimization of contracts which played a major role in the successes recorded during the 2025 Hajj operation. For the preceding Hajj, the Chairman’s team proactively amended contracts with service providers, aligning services with the actual number of registered pilgrims, a measure that prevented substantial financial waste and contributed to a fare reduction.
Also, NAHCON expanded the pilgrims’ savings scheme during this period. The chairman has not only championed the Hajj Savings Scheme but strengthens it by engaging more banks to create a sustainable, long-term saving culture, thereby easing the financial shock of a large, single-sum payment.
However, these achievements are not without challenges.
The chairman’s dedication to securing world-class, cost-efficient services has, at times, brought him into conflict with entrenched interests. The initial, higher estimated fares for 2026 might be linked to alleged pressure and vested interests in the procurement process, particularly the selection of a sole Hajj service provider for all the key services.
Professor Saleh Usman’s vision has always been to recruit multiple world-class companies to handle services, fostering healthy competition and ultimately driving down costs while improving service delivery for the Nigerian pilgrims. This presidential directive, therefore, comes as a decisive lever, strengthening the Chairman’s hand to bypass any bureaucratic or self-serving obstacles and focus purely on securing the lowest possible fare using the most favorable exchange rate.
Thus, to fully realize the benefit of President Tinubu’s intervention, the NAHCON Chairman is now vigorously pushing for a culture of promptness. He has urged State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards to ensure quick remittance of payments to NAHCON. This is critical, as early remittance allows the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to procure the necessary foreign exchange at the current, improved rate, essentially locking in the savings for the pilgrims.
With the deadlines for a 50% deposit set for October 8, 2025, and full payment by December 31, 2025, the onus is now on the intending pilgrims to act swiftly.
From all indications, Professor Abdullahi Saleh-Usman is well-positioned to deliver one of the most affordable and successful Hajj operations in Nigeria’s history.
His commitment to financial prudence, combined with the unequivocal support of the Presidency, promises a 2026 pilgrimage that truly embodies the spirit of accessibility and service excellence. The stage is set for a landmark Hajj, provided the Chairman is given the complete freedom to execute his official functions without undue interference.
Sirajo Salisu Jibia writes from Japan
