2024 Hajj: Tour Operators Raises Alarm, Says Pilgrims Would Pay N6M Against Last Year N3M

The National President of the Association of Hajj/Umarah Tour Operators of Nigeria, Alhaji Yahya Suleiman Nasidi, has called on the Federal Government and the National Hajj Commission, NAHCON to help them in the deposition of their 2024 Hajj Funds in Saudi Arabia.

This is even as the President worried that the 2024 year Hajj would be operated under a very exhubatant Prices of N6 Millions as against the last year 2023 N3 Million, due to problems of Foreign Exchange and other vital issues.

Speaking during the 2024 Hajj sensitization Seminar, with a theme, “Hajj 2024 New Challenges, Boundless Opportunity, in Kano, Wednesday, the President, although they have been in the business 15 years back, “we have been having Forex from Government and even last year we got it at very subsidized rates, so we are appealing to the Government not to let Us go to Market to operate they should help us as usual”.

He said, “we are afraid that is what would happen now if government did not come in and subsidized the Forex.”

Alhaji Yahya Suleiman, notes that, “Another Problems is the Cost of Hajj this year, last year we operated at N3 Million now we will operate at N6 Millions. That is why we are calling on those who wants to perform Hajj this year 2024 to endeavor to pay their Hajj fare as early as possible”.

The President, warned that if by the end of November this 2023 one did not pay his fare, he has to just be preparing for 2025, because this time Saudi has come with a system the whole issues of Hajj must be completed with last Hajj Visa must be issued in April 2024, which means all payments all Services have been concluded.”

” So if payment is not made one can’t get Visa and can’t travel, so the Problems is from all angles the Forex issue this is a problems that even if we are going to get it from outside we still need to transfer it as an offshore payment.”

The President appealed to Hajj Commission to get to Operators are Window to sent thier monies to Saudi, because there is a lot of problems, Money Laundering and so many regulations one can’t send a hundred thousand through the banks so many problems.”

“We want the Government and the Public to understand we are one big stakeholders and economic contributors for this Country. They should see us transperent every other person is seen tour operator as a croock.”

“This year is terrible, however there are the positive site last year we had 276 operators that goes to Saudi but this year we are having only Ten that is Saudi arrangements now only 10 operators would transport the 20,000, allocated Pilgrims to to Us”.

“That is we must Marge to become stronger that is the positive site but another problems is that how do we handle 20,000 we were used to handling 100-200 but now 20,000, companies must come together and Transport 2000 per one Company which Marge.

Alhaji Yahya said to the New Hajj Commission Chairman, that he must give them listening ears they will lead him to success because if he failed they also failed.

Speaking the Deputy National President in Charge of Hajj, Alhaji AbdulJaleel Olori-Aje, said, ” our main problems is time constraints we are to round up in about two months time this is first time Hajj is coming in this fashion”.

“But we will try our best to see that we meet up although People’s are not willing to come and make commitments we are the last point of calls when it’s comes to Hajj it is only when the doors of Pilgrims Boards and NAHCON are closed People’s remember us but this time around even our own will be closed too”.

He said “Our Saudi Account needs to be found before the closure that is why we needs the commitments of the Hajj Commission and the government to allow us meet up the Challenges.”