Nigeria’s federal government is expected to generate roughly ₦5.4 billion from Nigerian Muslims travelling for the 2026 Hajj through a compulsory service charge, according to an analysis by the civil society group Independent Hajj Reporters (IHR).
In a statement released to newsmen over the weekend, the IHR said the 2026 Hajj fare structure includes a 2% mandatory fee that each pilgrim must pay directly into the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as part of processing and fund transfer requirements.
With the official Hajj cost set at about ₦7.6 million per pilgrim, the levy works out to around ₦136,417 for each individual. Based on an estimated 40,000 pilgrims from across the country, the total revenue from this charge could reach between ₦5.3 billion and ₦5.4 billion.
In dollar terms, the per-pilgrim service fee is equivalent to about $92.46, bringing total collection to approximately $3.7 million, a slight increase from the $90 fee applied during the 2025 Hajj season.
The IHR noted that the charge is primarily intended to cover the cost of transferring funds to the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria’s (NAHCON) international account in Saudi Arabia, where payments for services are made.
However, the group has previously called for the levy to be waived, describing it as an unnecessary financial burden on pilgrims already facing high costs from multiple government agencies.
Despite these concerns, neither the CBN nor the Tinubu administration has yet announced any plans to revise or remove the service charge. The IHR is urging the government and regulators to justify the fee publicly and provide transparency on how the revenue will be used to benefit pilgrims.
