The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has introduced a three-week window for negotiations with Saudi Arabian service providers, urging prospective pilgrims to make a N4.5 million deposit before the deadline.
In a statement released on Thursday, NAHCON’s Assistant Director of Public Affairs, Fatima Sanda Usara, revealed that Saudi Arabia had set November 4, 2023, as the cutoff date for preliminary meetings with service providers. By this time, the commission should have an estimate of the number of intending pilgrims, which is vital for negotiating service prices.
The N4.5 million deposit was instituted as part of early preparations for the 2024 Hajj. Three primary reasons support this minimum deposit. First and foremost, it allows both states and the commission to estimate the number of eligible intending pilgrims by the November 4 deadline, as stipulated by Saudi Arabia. This estimate is crucial for guiding the preparatory meetings, which are only three weeks away.
The deposit amount was chosen to facilitate the payment of the remaining balance when the final fare is determined. Setting a lower deposit would be challenging for a larger number of individuals to top up if the final cost is higher, potentially leading to miscalculations.
The N4.5 million deposit also helps the commission negotiate more realistically for accommodation, airline fares, food, and other services, taking into account the number of individuals who have reached the deposit threshold by the time of the preparatory meetings.
Prospective pilgrims are strongly encouraged to make this deposit to ensure they are counted among eligible applicants for the 2024 Hajj. NAHCON emphasized that it is the sole recognized institution overseeing the Hajj industry in Nigeria and reaffirmed the N4.5 million minimum deposit for the 2024 Hajj.
Additionally, NAHCON reminded prospective pilgrims of the time constraints regarding funds remittance into the Saudi Arabian account for visa processing. The commission is expected to complete payments for accommodation and holy site contracts by February 2024 to allow visa issuance between March 3 and April 29, 2024.
To meet this timeline, pilgrims should make their deposits in a timely manner, enabling their respective boards to complete registration and fare remittance by January 5.
