The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has implemented a new payment method for Basic Travel Allowance (BTA) for Nigerians embarking on the 2025 Hajj pilgrimage.
Under the revised system, each pilgrim will be issued an ATM card for withdrawals and transactions during the pilgrimage in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This initiative makes it mandatory for all intending pilgrims to open a BTA-linked bank account, ensuring a more secure and efficient financial process.
Executive Secretary of Gombe State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Alhaji Sa’adu Hassan, made this disclosure shortly after he met with the Board’s officials and Hajj stakeholders in Gombe State as part of preparations for the 2025 Hajj exercise expected to take place in June.
He said, “I want to use this medium to inform the general public about some developments on the Basic Travel Allowance (BTA) payment introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria, which makes the use of ATM mandatory for all intending pilgrims during their stay in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia this year.
“This development is in connection to the Central Bank of Nigeria’s cashless policy and to save pilgrims from losing their money,” Alhaji Sa’adu stated.
According to him, since 2024, the Central Bank of Nigeria has proposed the issuance of ATM cards to Hajj Pilgrims for the payment of their BTA, but the programme was delayed due to some issues, especially lack of awareness and short notice, as well as other issues surrounding the new method of BTA payment raised by the officials.
Alhaji Sa’ad added, “Each pilgrim is expected to open a BTA account in a bank before he gets the ATM. Before now, the payment of the BTA to all Pilgrims by NAHCON used to be through cash, which is no longer the practice around the world.”
Last year, the Basic Travel Allowance (BTA) for each Nigerian pilgrim was $400 but has now been reviewed to $500.
The Executive Secretary also spoke on the need for people who are not strong enough to stay away from the exercise, saying, “We will not accept pregnant women even if the pregnancy is one month. We have put in place experts to conduct pregnancy tests. For any pregnant woman who manoeuvres and escapes here, upon arrival at Makka Airport, we will do the test again at Saudi Airport.
“Anyone found guilty will be deported. She will not be allowed to perform the hajj and she loses her money. The same thing applies to unhealthy persons and old ones that are not strong enough to do the Hajj exercise; we will not enrol them,” he warned.
As of the time of filing this report, over 500 intending pilgrims have made deposits, while over 900 seats are still open for payment.
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria had allocated 1,480 seats for Gombe State and the Executive Secretary of the Pilgrims Board in Gombe State has called on intending Pilgrims to come and pay while those who have already deposited their money should try and complete the payments before the first week of February 2025.
The Executive Secretary also revealed that accommodation reservations and assurance of a hitch-free visa issuance would depend on early payment by the pilgrims; he urges Gombe State intending pilgrims to as quickly as possible rush pay before the specific dateline given by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria elapsed.
Each Gombe State Pilgrim is expected to pay not less than 8.4 million Naira for the 2025 Hajj exercise.
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