NAHCON Insists on N250m Bank Statement from Hajj Tour Operators

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has refused to budge on its requirement for a N250 million bank statement from Hajj Tour Operators, according to Ambassador Ismail Abba Yusuf, the Commission's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. This demand has been in place for three years now. Yusuf explained that the decision to increase the bank guarantee from N40 million to N250 million was made to ensure that operators have adequate financial capacity to handle pilgrims, despite objections from the operators.

He reiterated that if operators fail to fulfill their responsibilities, the N40 million would not be sufficient to handle the situation. The Commission is also working closely with the states to facilitate a digital interface, as most Nigerian tour operators lack the capacity required by Saudi Arabia for uploading data to the NUSUK platform.

Yusuf clarified that every fund remitted to pilgrims must pass through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) due to international anti-money regulation laws. He added that tour operators are not yet ready for this process, which necessitates the window to help them prepare. The federal government has also agreed that the 50,000 quota given to Nigeria for the Hajj is non-negotiable.

Yusuf emphasized that the Nigerian government is fully committed to complying with Saudi Arabia's reforms to maintain its diplomatic credibility and prestige.