Since his appointment as the acting Chairman/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Mallam Jalal Al-Arabi, (OON, Fwc) has set in motion, ambitious steps targeted at a hitch-free Hajj 2024.
Muslim News reports that Al-Arabi’s appointment was announced in a statement by the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, on October 17, 2023. He is to serve a four-year term, beginning January 17, 2024.
Al-Arabi arrived the Hajj House, the Commission’s Headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday, October 18 to assume leadership of NAHCON.
He was accompanied by aides and friends, including former FCT Minister, Dr. Aliyu Moddibo, and a former NAHCON Chairman/CEO, Barr. Abdullahi Mukhtar Muhammed, among others.
A brief handover ceremony took place, with the outgoing Commissioner for Policy, Personnel, Management and Finance, Alhaji Nura Hassan Yakasai, standing in for the outgoing Chairman/CEO, Alhaji Zikrullah Kunle Hassan.
In his first meeting with management and staff of the Commission, Al-Arabi, who hails from Nafada Local Government Area of Gombe State described his appointment as a call to serve Allah and promised to carry out his duties with the mantra of T.S.A (Trust, Sacrifice and Allah sees everything) in the administration of hajj.
Al-Arabi, who retired from the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development in 2020 said he has “Not come to overturn everything achieved by the former board of the Commission but to tinker with areas that need improvement and build on the achievements in other aspects of the exercise.”
His assumption of office signalled a critical moment in the history of Nigerian hajj industry. It was a period when Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah introduced new policies for a hitch-free pilgrimage to Makkah in 2024.
Some of the new guidelines include early payment of hajj fares and issuance of visas which commences March 1 and ends on April 29, barely two months before Arafat Day, with the first set of prospective pilgrims expected to arrive the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on May 9.
One of Al-Arabi’s duties is to ensure congruity from the States pilgrims welfare boards and private tour operators who are critical stakeholders in the operations of the hajj industry in Nigeria. They present hajj contingents to NAHCON which facilitates their trip to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to answer the glorious call of Allah.
Hajj, the fifth pillar of Islam, is a huge multi-billion naira industry. It’s a compulsory and (at least) once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for every able-bodied Muslim adult who has the financial means to do, after Prophet Muhammad’s farewell pilgrimage in 632 AD.
For this year’s hajj, Muslim News can reliably confirm that the distribution of the 95,000 allocation for Nigeria has been settled while the 36 States, including the FCT, Abuja take 75,000; the private tour operators shared the remaining 20,000 slots.
Meeting with stakeholders
In the early days of his assumption of office, specifically on October 31, Al-Arabi met with the Chief Executive Officers of State Muslims and Pilgrims Welfare Boards/Agencies/Commissions in Abuja, where they shared meaningful ideas and charted the way forward for the upcoming pilgrimage.
In a related development, the then acting NAHCON Chairman also met with executive officers and members of the Association of Hajj and Umrah Operators of Nigeria (AHOUN) in November 2023, seeking a robust partnership and healthy working relationship with them.
In a change of policy, the Kingdom pegged the number of hajj-participating country’s licensed tour operators for the spiritual journey of hajj at 10 companies, about 5% from each participating country; a wide departure from the age-long practice.
For instance, Muslim News gathered that no fewer than 200 operators took pilgrims for hajj in 2023 but with the new lean principle, the Kingdom will be dealing with fewer companies for effective service delivery.
Al-Arabi consolidated Nigeria’s robust relationship with Saudi Arabia to request increment in the number which was granted and increased to 40.
The Commission, under him, later conducted a rigorous screening in which 40 companies were shortlisted out of the 110 successful operators that applied, with Hajj Mabrur Ventures Limited emerging number one.
The remaining 70 operators have already proceeded to merge with the approved 40 for the operation of 2024 hajj.
Homage to the Ulamah
The new NAHCON boss paid courtesy visits to scholars in both the northern and southern parts of the country, in recognition of the important role they play in ensuring a successful and acceptable hajj (hajj mabrur). Scholars drawn from across the regions of the country have always formed NAHCON’s Ulamah team, with the mandate of offering relevant spiritual and educational guidance to pilgrims before, during and after the hajj exercise.
Al-Arabi visited leaders of the Qadiriyyah and Tijaniyyah sects in northern Nigeria, Sheikh Qaribullahi Nasiru Kabara and Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi. He also extended similar visits to leaders of Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa Iqamatus Sunnah, JIBWIS (Izala), Dr Abdullahi Bala Lau and Sheikh Muhammad Sani Yahaya Jingir.
Down south, the Commission’s boss visited the Chief Imam of Lagos, Sheikh Sulaimon Oluwatoyin Abou-Nolla, and the leadership of two prominent Islamic organisations in the southwest – Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria and Nasrullah-l-Fatih Society of Nigeria, NASFAT. These visits, according to Al-Arabi, are meant to solidify the relationship between NAHCON and Islamic scholars ahead of the 2024 hajj.
Service delivery with Saudi providers
Service delivery, including feeding, accommodation and tents at Muna, was a major area of concern for the Nigerian contingent in the recently held hajj. For instance, Muslim News reported that over 52,000 out of 95,000 Nigerian pilgrims were without tents in Muna during Hajj 2023.
Recognising the role played by the Mutawiff in the poor service delivery faced by Nigerians, Mal. Jalal Al-Arabi appealed to their leadership for an enhanced service delivery during the forthcoming hajj.
“As partners, we are here to discuss, collaborate, engage, and interact with the aim of nurturing this partnership. The 2023 hajj has gone, and the 2024 hajj is approaching.
“Therefore, it is essential to address all details and ensure a smoother experience than what was achieved in the past,” he stated at the meeting with Chairman of the Saudi establishment, Dr. Ahmad Abbas Sindi, at the Hajj House, Abuja.
Signing of MoU with Saudi Arabia
This was followed by signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the 2024 Hajj by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Maitama Tuggar-led delegation to Saudi Arabia, which included the NAHCON CEO. The Saudi team was led by Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Dr. Taufiq Al-Rabiah.
At the signing ceremony held in Jeddah, the Nigerian Minister sought a lasting solution to shortage of tents in Muna, while also appealing for favourable terms for Nigerian carriers.
During their stay in Saudi Arabia, the NAHCON Chairman held several meetings to strike a good bargain for Nigerian pilgrims that will eventually lead to a reduced cost for the 2024 hajj exercise. He also made working visits to the Mutawiff Company, GACA, Car Syndicate for Pilgrims’ Transportation, among others.
Agreement with Ithraa Al-Khair
NAHCON has equally entered into an agreement with Ithraa Al-Khair Company in Makkah after the Hajj and Umrah exhibition, to take charge of some services for the Nigerian pilgrims.
The agreement contains details of the services expected from the company along with their cost. Penalties were also attached in the event of violation by any of the parties.
The NAHCON Chairman also set up various committees, all of which are geared towards ensuring a successful, exciting and hitch-free Hajj 2024. The committees include those on qualification of tour operators, e-track, review of catering and accommodation guidelines, among others.
Airlines, cargo companies
In January 2024, the Nigerian hajj body also released the list of airlines and cargo companies that are to participate in the 2024 hajj, following approval by President Tinubu. The airlines include Air Peace, FlyNas and Max Air. While the cargo companies are Cargo Zeal Technologies, Nahco Aviance and Qualla Investment Limited. NAHCON allocated each of the approved airlines to various states of the country to airlift their pilgrims.
Confirmation of Al-Arabi, other commissioners by Senate
Al-Arabi worked effortlessly in acting capacity as NAHCON boss for four months and some days, until his appointment was formally confirmed by the Nigerian Senate led by its president, Godswill Akpabio on Wednesday, February 21. The upper chamber also approved the appointment of three executive management members of the commission, including Aliu Abdulrazaq, (Commissioner, Policy, Personnel and Finance); Anofi Elegushi (Commissioner for Operations); and Abubakar Yagawal, (Commissioner for Planning and Research). They will be working together with other board members representing institutions and geopolitical zones for their first hajj operation later this year.
Economic hardship takes toll on Hajj
One of the major challenges facing the Al-Arabi-led NAHCON is the compliance with payment of hajj fares which sums up to between N4.6 and N4.9 million respectively for intending pilgrims from the south to the north following the free fall of the Naira against foreign currencies, particularly the Dollar. Al-Arabi, who had done everything possible to ensure that the final hajj fare doesn’t exceed the N4.5m initial deposit, expressed his regret over the adjustment, which is obviously beyond him. Al-Arabi came at a time the West African country is facing one of its worst economic crises in years. The vacillation over the current instability in Naira to Dollar doesn’t only affect pilgrims going for hajj, it has also increased the country’s inflation rate to nearly 30% under the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration.
With the current situation, it’s not certain if the country will be able to utilise all of its 95,000 allocations as it did during the 2023 hajj.
Nonetheless, Nigeria is not alone! Other hajj-participating countries like Malaysia, Thailand, and even Indonesia, which has over the years produced the largest hajj contingent, might likely be affected due to a hike in hajj fare, caused by the post-COVID-19 global economic conditions, among others.
Due to the significance of hajj in Islam, the governments of those countries, particularly Malaysia offered subsidies to make the dream of their citizens in fulfilling this religious obligation a reality. This might also have informed the move by the Nigerian lower chamber to have called on the federal government to subsidize this year’s hajj fare for intending pilgrims from Nigeria. The request hasn’t been granted as of the time of filing this report on Saturday, February 24.
We join the Nigerian lower chamber to appeal to President Tinubu to grant the approval for hajj subsidy. It is a move in the right direction and in the best interest of Nigerian Muslims amid the harsh economic realities that have consequently affected their income and savings.
Hajj is a fundamental aspect of Islam. Muslims who have the means are urged to have the experience, even if it will be once-in-a-lifetime. Existence only belongs to God, and no one knows when his time will be up on the surface of the earth. If the federal government concedes to hajj subsidy, it would be assisting Muslims, who are willing to participate in the 2024 hajj but have been affected by the current economic downturn, to fulfil this landmark aspiration.
Alternatively, the government can also grant concessions on foreign exchange to intending pilgrims as a measure to ease the financial cost. If pilgrims can get a lower exchange rate, this will also be some sort of relief, which is different from government directly investing funds as subsidy to the hajj process. The ultimate goal, however, is to bring ease to the citizens, which government everywhere in the world does. This is even as Nigeria’s case is caused by factors beyond the control of the citizens.
Similarly, the federal government may also wish to cut down some of the taxes charges associated with the expenditure items of hajj such as visa fee, flight fee, accommodation fee, souvenir, among others. This is another way of easing the financial cost for Nigerian pilgrims during this rare times.
It is to the credit of government if more people from Nigeria are able to make the 2024 hajj. Apart from the symbolic purpose it serves, more revenue will also accrue to the government’s purse by way of tax. We therefore appeal to the federal government to see the bigger picture and take any of these measures to lessen the financial burden and pressure on intending pilgrims from Nigeria.
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