Group asks CBN to scrap two per cent service charge on Hajj fares

A civil society organisation, Independent Hajj Reporters (IHR), has asked the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to abolish the two per cent service charge it imposed on payments made by intending Hajj pilgrims, saying the fee contributes significantly to the rising cost of pilgrimage for Nigerians.

In a statement by its National Coordinator, Ibrahim Mohammed, on Sunday, IHR described the $90 (₦144,000 based on the ₦1,600 exchange rate benchmark for the upcoming Hajj) charged by the bank as “an unnecessary burden” on pilgrims.

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The group noted that with 95,000 Hajj slots allocated to Nigeria by Saudi Arabia, the CBN stands to generate around $8.55 million (₦13.68 billion) annually from the service charge alone.

“The CBN should abolish the revenue it collects simply for transferring Hajj payments to NAHCON’s IBAN account in Saudi Arabia,” IHR said.

“While we do not claim that the payments are illegal, we believe the CBN can waive them as their contribution to reducing Hajj fares.”

PREMIUM TIMES has reported the announcement of the 2026 Hajj fare, with the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) unveiling a major reduction of over ₦200,000 per pilgrim.

The commission described the move as part of ongoing efforts to make the sacred journey more affordable for Nigerian Muslims.

NAHCON also urged intending pilgrims to complete their payments promptly to enable the commission to meet the Saudi authorities’ deadlines for preparations ahead of the 2026 Hajj.

Read the full statement below:

CSO Calls for Abolition of CBN 2% Service Charge on Hajj Fare

Independent Hajj Reporters (IHR) has joined the call on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to abolish the 2% charge it receives from the payments of intending Hajj pilgrims from Nigeria.

IHR states that the 2% charge by the country’s apex bank, which translates to $90 per pilgrim (N144,000), based on the N1,600 foreign exchange benchmark used by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), has contributed to the high cost of Hajj for Nigerian pilgrims.

Saudi Arabia allocates 95,000 slots to Nigeria for the annual pilgrimage. If the quota is filled, the CBN generates approximately $8,550,000 (N13.68 billion) in revenue yearly from Hajj payments by pilgrims.

IHR, in a statement Sunday signed by its National Coordinator, Ibrahim Mohammed, says following public outcry over the high cost of Hajj, “The CBN should abolish the revenue it collects simply for transferring Hajj payments to NAHCON’S IBAN account in Saudi Arabia”.

The statement added that, “while we do not claim that the payments are illegal, we believe that the CBN can waive them as their contribution to the reduction of Hajj fare in the country”. Nigerian pilgrims are paying multiple service charges to various government establishments, which has jerked up the overall cost of the Hajj fare.

‘It should be noted that NAHCON has been funding its operations since 2019, relying on its service charge and relieving the government of Hajj operational costs. Such self-reliance measure needs to be supported by other government institutions to guarantee seamless and efficient services for Nigerian pilgrims”, it said

The CSOs’ appeal follows similar calls by many Hajj stakeholders urging the Central Bank to waive the payments.

Ibrahim Muhammad
For: Independent Hajj Reporters
5th October, 2025