Maryam Aminu
The Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies has formally urged the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) to address unresolved issues from the 2024 Hajj operations before proceeding with the issuance of licenses and slot allocations for the 2025 Hajj season.
The call comes in response to NAHCON’s recent advertorial in The Nation Newspaper on August 24, 2024, inviting applications for 2025 Hajj licenses.
In a letter signed by the National President of the Association, Abdul Lateef Ekundayo Yusuf, the association expressed concerns over outstanding issues, particularly the delayed refund of caution deposits from the 2024 Hajj season. The Commission had promised to refund all caution deposits within three weeks after the Hajj, a commitment that remains unfulfilled. Some members are still awaiting refunds of their 2023 caution deposits, totaling N5,000,000 (Five Million Naira).
The association is calling on NAHCON to prioritize the refund process and address these pending issues before accepting bids for the 2025 Hajj.
The letter also highlighted the longstanding issue of unrefunded amounts trapped within NAHCON’s finance department, some dating back several years.
“The Association had previously discussed these issues with the Commission, which had agreed to publish a list of outstanding refunds and invite affected agencies to claim their due payments.”
The Association insists that these financial matters be resolved to ensure a fresh start for the 2025 Hajj operations.
Additionally, the association raised concerns about refunds for services not rendered by Mu’assasah, a service provider for Hajj operations.
According to the letter, the association wrote to the Commission on July 16, 2024, demanding payment for the 2022 and 2023 refunds for services not rendered, as well as refunds for the 2024 tent A service failure.
“The Commission has yet to act on these requests, despite approvals by the Mu’assasah.” He added
The Association further demanded the payment of N20,000,000 (Twenty Million Naira), representing 20% of its share from the 2023 development levy. This allocation had been approved by the previous management, yet the current Commission has not responded to numerous reminder letters sent by the Association.
The President raised concerns regarding the difficulties faced by travel agencies in obtaining Umrah visas, an issue exacerbated by the Saudi quarter system on Nigeria. In a letter dated August 15, 2024, the Association called on NAHCON to intervene in the matter, highlighting the financial losses suffered by its members due to delays. Despite this, no response has been received from the Commission.
The Association also criticized NAHCON’s decision to increase the caution deposit for the 2025 Hajj to N50,000,000 (Fifty Million Naira), stating that such a significant change requires consultations with critical stakeholders.
The Association reminded the Commission of the collaborative role they played in previous policy implementations and emphasized the importance of stakeholder engagement in ensuring successful Hajj operations.
Despite the raised concerns, the Association reiterated its commitment to working with NAHCON to improve Hajj and Umrah management for Nigerian pilgrims.
“We remain committed to supporting the Commission in achieving better performance,” the letter concluded.
The President of the Association expressed hope that the Commission will take prompt action to resolve these issues to ensure a more successful and transparent Hajj operation for all stakeholders involved.
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