JUST IN: Nigerian Hajj Fare to Increase by $250 Due to Sudan Crisis

• Nigerian airlines Air Peace, Azman, Max Air, and Aero Contractors have requested an increase of $250 in hajj fare due to the crisis in Sudan, which would require a longer travel time to Saudi Arabia for the 2023 hajj exercise.

• The Chairman of the National Hajj Commission (NAHCON), Zikrullah Hassan, assured that the additional cost will not be borne by the pilgrims and that the commission is looking for ways to resolve the issue.

• The commission has scheduled May 25 for the first airlift of pilgrims out of the country and has prepared a 25-day strategic airlift operation plan.

Nigeria’s National Hajj Commission (NAHCON) has announced that the hajj fare for the 2023 hajj exercise will be increased by $250 due to the crisis in Sudan, which would require a longer travel time to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The airlines responsible for airlifting Nigerian pilgrims – Air Peace, Azman, Max Air, and Aero Contractors – had requested the increase in fare due to the additional financial cost of using another route.

However, Chairman Zikrullah Hassan has assured the pilgrims that they will not bear the additional cost.

Speaking during a training exercise in Abuja, Hassan stated that the commission is looking for all ways to resolve the issue of the increased fare.

He added that the commission is paying earnestly for a quick and peaceful resolution to the conflict in Sudan so that the airspace could be open, and there would be a stop to the mindless killing of the Sudanese people.

The commission has also mapped out a 25-day strategic airlift operation plan that will commence on May 25, with an advance team comprising medical and hajj officials set to move to Saudi Arabia on May 21.

In summary, the additional cost of $250 will not be passed on to Nigerian pilgrims, and the commission is committed to ensuring a peaceful resolution to the crisis in Sudan. The 2023 hajj exercise is scheduled to commence on May 25, with the commission hopeful of a successful operation.