The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria has disclosed that it has refunded a total of N5.3 billion to State Pilgrims Welfare Boards and tour operators following substandard services during the 2023 Hajj.
A statement from the commission, signed by the Head of Public Affairs, Muhammad Musa, revealed that N4.4 billion was refunded to the Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards, the Federal Capital Territory and the Armed Forces, while N917 million was returned to 192 accredited tour companies that participated in the pilgrimage.
According to the statement, these refunds reflect NAHCON Chairman Professor Abdullahi Usman’s dedication to maintaining transparency and accountability in Hajj operations.
The commission has advised pilgrims who took part in the 2023 Hajj to contact their respective SPWBs or tour operators to collect their refunds. Each pilgrim is entitled to a refund of N61,080.
A breakdown of the refunds shows that over 73,336 pilgrims across the 36 states and the FCT will benefit, with states like Kaduna, Kano, Sokoto, Zamfara, Kwara, Lagos, and the FCT receiving the largest allocations.
The statement also provided a detailed explanation of the refund process, “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 (FCT), 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.”
In addition, NAHCON refunded N917,148,479.99 to the 192 accredited tour companies, with the expectation that this amount will be passed on to their respective pilgrims.
The commission emphasized that other participating companies will receive their refunds after 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,” the statement added.
Pilgrims are encouraged to reach out to their respective SPWBs or tour operators to claim their refunds. A list showing the number of pilgrims from each state and the corresponding refund amounts has been provided in the statement.
Looking ahead, NAHCON urged those intending to participate in the 2025 Hajj to promptly deposit their fares with their State Pilgrims’ Boards to ensure the timely processing of funds and the smooth arrangement of the pilgrimage, in line with Saudi Arabia’s guidelines.
NAHCON also appealed to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission to oversee the refund process to guarantee full transparency and due process.
