The Kano State Government has taken decisive action in response to the recent surge in hajj fares, approving a subsidy of N500,000 for each intending pilgrim from the state.
This move comes in the wake of an announcement by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) on Sunday, revealing a significant increase of N1.9 million in hajj fares.
The commission attributed this hike to the ongoing forex crisis in Nigeria.
Initially set at N4.9 million, intending pilgrims were informed by NAHCON to adjust their payments to reflect the current dollar exchange rate, with a deadline of March 28 for the additional payment.
In a statement shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State disclosed the government’s intervention to alleviate the financial burden on intending pilgrims.
“Following the sudden increase of N1.9 million Hajj fare by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, I have approved a subsidy of N500,000 each for intending pilgrims from Kano embarking on the 2024 pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia,” Governor Yusuf announced.
He further detailed the impact of the subsidy, stating, “With this, intending pilgrims who have registered and paid the initial total deposit of N4.7 million and N4.5 million with the state pilgrims board, will now deposit N1.4 million out of the N1.9 million increase.”
