The Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency has announced that each pilgrim from the state will receive a refund of 123 Saudi Riyals while in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with an additional ₦5 to be paid upon return to Nigeria for those who wish to collect it.
A statement signed by the board public relations officer Ibrahim Datti said the Executive Chairman of the Agency, Malam Salihu S. Abubakar, made the announcement today shortly after the Zuhr prayer at the pilgrims’ accommodation mosque.
According to the Chairman, during the collection of fares for the 2026 Hajj, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) required pilgrims to pay a Basic Travel Allowance (BTA) of 500 US Dollars at an exchange rate of ₦1,443 per dollar, amounting to ₦721,500 per pilgrim.
However, before the pilgrims departed for Saudi Arabia, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) provided the BTA at an exchange rate of ₦1,350.74 per dollar, which amounted to ₦675,370 for the same $500.
This resulted in a balance of ₦46,130 per pilgrim. The Agency subsequently secured an exchange rate of ₦375 per Saudi Riyal, making the refund equivalent to approximately 123 Saudi Riyals, with a balance of ₦5 remaining.
Malam Salihu S. Abubakar stated that every Kaduna State pilgrim will receive 123 Saudi Riyals, while the remaining ₦5 will be paid in Nigeria upon their return for those who choose to collect it.
He further announced that the refund exercise will commence today at 4:00 p.m. at the Kaduna State pilgrims’ accommodation in Saudi Arabia.