The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) on Thursday assured Nigerians who participated in previous Hajj exercises of its readiness to disburse refunds received on their behalf from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for services paid for but not rendered during the spiritual exercise.
However, the Commission stated that it is currently unable to release the remaining refunds lodged in its account due to the lack of necessary explanations from the Saudi authorities regarding the refunds. NAHCON emphasized that without such clarifications, it cannot process payments.
In a press release signed by Fatima Sanda Usara, NAHCON’s Assistant Director of Information and Publication Division, on behalf of the chairman, and made available to the Nigerian Tribune in Abuja, the Commission disclosed that it had received a total of SR 20,716,035.2 (twenty million, seven hundred and sixteen thousand, thirty-five Saudi Riyals and two Halalas) in five tranches as various unexplained refunds.
According to Usara, NAHCON received explanations for only a portion of the refunds: SR 150 per pilgrim for the 95,000 pilgrims who participated in the 2023 Hajj.
This amount, she explained, pertained to matters related to electricity supply in Masha’ir locations (Mina, Arafat, and Muzdalifah) during that year’s exercise. The refund has since been disbursed to the respective States’ Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards and private tour operators for onward distribution to their pilgrims.
NAHCON is still awaiting clarification on a total of SR 6,466,035.15. Usara noted that the Commission has written several letters to the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, requesting details to facilitate the disbursement of the remaining funds to the rightful beneficiaries.
She further revealed that during a recent visit to Saudi Arabia, NAHCON Chairman Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman led a delegation to the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah and other relevant establishments, seeking clarification regarding the beneficiaries and amounts due to each individual.
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“It would be recalled that in October, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) acknowledged receipt of refunds from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for various services not rendered to pilgrims from previous, unspecified Hajj seasons.
“NAHCON explained that the delay in processing the refunds stems from the absence of detailed information accompanying the received funds. The details provided do not specify the reasons for the refunds, the intended recipients, or the amounts due to each pilgrim.
“In light of this, the Chairman of NAHCON, Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman, appeals to pilgrims and the general public for understanding as the Commission awaits the necessary clarifications to release the remaining funds.
“For transparency, NAHCON has received, in five tranches, the sum of SR 20,716,035.2 as unexplained refunds. Of this total, SR 14,250,000 has already been disbursed to pilgrims through the States’ Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards and private tour operators as compensation for electricity supplied in Masha’ir locations. NAHCON is still awaiting explanations for the remaining SR 6,466,035.15.
“To ensure further disbursement, the Commission has sent multiple requests to the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah seeking details about the refunds. Additionally, during the Chairman’s recent visit to Saudi Arabia, a follow-up meeting was held with the Ministry and other relevant agencies to expedite the process of identifying the rightful beneficiaries and the amounts owed to them.”
Usara concluded by reiterating the Chairman’s assurance that as soon as NAHCON receives full details about the remaining refunds—including the reasons for the refunds, the beneficiaries, and the amounts payable—the funds will be disbursed promptly and transparently.
In her words: “Professor Saleh assures the affected pilgrims and their respective officials that once the Commission receives complete details of the refunds, the remaining amounts will be distributed immediately and with full transparency.”
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