The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has reversed its earlier decision on Hajj Basic Travel Allowance (BTA).
According to Diaspora Digital Media (DDM), Nigerian pilgrims for the 2025 Hajj will now receive their BTA in cash rather than through debit cards.
This follows a decisive intervention by Vice President Kashim Shettima on behalf of pilgrims and the National Hajj Commission (NAHCON).
He appealed directly to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, highlighting the difficulties the card-only policy posed for most pilgrims.
Many Nigerian pilgrims are from rural communities and lack familiarity with electronic banking and debit card usage.
After consultations, the CBN agreed to revert to a cash-based disbursement method to ease pilgrims’ financial transactions.
NAHCON’s Commissioner for Policy, Personnel Management, and Finance, Aliu Abdulrazaq, confirmed the approval after a meeting with the Vice President.
“We had several meetings about this,” Abdulrazaq said. “This breakthrough came after the Vice President’s timely and compassionate intervention.”
He stressed that the card-only policy would have created serious obstacles for the majority of Nigerian pilgrims.
“There is only one ATM in the key pilgrimage areas in Saudi Arabia,” he explained.
“It’s constantly overcrowded, making it hard for pilgrims to access their funds when they need them.”
Abdulrazaq noted that 95 percent of Nigerian pilgrims are peasant farmers with low exposure to digital banking.
“Some of them even struggle to identify foreign currencies,” he added. “They are simply more comfortable using cash.”
Earlier this year, the CBN introduced a mandatory BTA debit card policy for the 2025 Hajj pilgrimage.
Each pilgrim was to open a special account and receive a card for use in Saudi Arabia.
This sparked concerns among stakeholders due to the low financial literacy of many pilgrims.
NAHCON Secretary Dr. Mustapha Muhammad Ali clarified that the change is not a subsidy or government concession.
“This is not a subsidy,” he said. “The Vice President only highlighted the practical challenges pilgrims face.”
He emphasized that most purchases are made in markets and streets where debit cards are rarely accepted.
Now, the CBN will issue cash at the prevailing market rate to all eligible pilgrims.
Abba Muhammad Aliyu, Director of Human Resources at the CBN, said the bank prioritized pilgrims’ welfare.
“Many don’t know how to use ATMs,” he said. “This policy change makes their experience easier.”
He confirmed this is simply a change in the payment method, not a return to concessionary practices.
NAHCON now expects a much smoother operation for the 2025 Hajj pilgrimage.
“The BTA issue was our biggest concern,” Abdulrazaq said. “Now that it’s resolved, we’re ready to move forward.”
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