Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency has begun refunding 123 Saudi Riyals to each pilgrim from the state following a foreign exchange differential recorded during the 2026 Hajj exercise.
Gatekeepeds News reports that the agency’s Executive Chairman, Salihu Abubakar, announced the development on Monday at the pilgrims’ Ibrahim Khalil residence in Saudi Arabia.
He explained that the refund became necessary after changes in the exchange rate between the period the Basic Travelling Allowance (BTA) was calculated and the time pilgrims were airlifted for Hajj.
According to Abubakar, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) had initially fixed the $500 BTA for pilgrims at an exchange rate of N1,443 per dollar, amounting to N721,500.
However, before the departure of pilgrims, the naira appreciated and the exchange rate dropped to N1,350.74 per dollar, reducing the naira value of the allowance to N675,370.
He said the development created a foreign exchange differential of N46,130 per pilgrim. The agency subsequently secured an exchange rate of N375 to one Saudi Riyal for the balance, resulting in a refund of 123 Saudi Riyals for each pilgrim, with a remaining balance of N5.
Abubakar disclosed that the refund process commenced with pilgrims on the first flight and noted that those who prefer to receive the outstanding N5 in Nigeria would be paid upon their return.
He added that the gesture reflects the agency’s commitment to transparency and accountability in handling pilgrims’ funds.
