The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has approved a request allowing 2025 Hajj pilgrims to receive their Basic Travel Allowance (BTA) in cash, following an appeal by Vice-President Kashim Shettima on behalf of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) and over 40,000 intending pilgrims.
This decision was disclosed by NAHCON’s Commissioner for Policy, Personnel Management and Finance, Aliu Abdulrazaq, after a meeting with the vice-president at the State House, Abuja, on Thursday.
Abdulrazaq explained that the approval marks a significant relief for pilgrims who had raised concerns over the CBN’s earlier plan to issue BTA through debit cards. The cash option, he noted, would help avoid logistical challenges, especially in Mecca where there is limited access to ATMs.
“The CBN, responding to the vice-president’s intervention, has dropped the idea of mandatory debit cards for the 2025 Hajj. Pilgrims will now be allowed to receive their BTA in cash. This is a major achievement for NAHCON,” he said.
He further noted that most Nigerian pilgrims are peasant farmers unfamiliar with electronic payment systems, and many struggle with identifying foreign currencies. “Giving them cash provides a more practical and comfortable option,” he added.
Dr Mustapha Muhammad Ali, NAHCON’s Secretary, emphasized that the move should not be seen as a concession or subsidy from the government. “It is not a financial intervention or subsidy. It’s simply a change in the payment method to better suit the needs of our pilgrims,” he said. “The CBN will provide the foreign exchange at the market rate.”
Providing further insight, Abba Muhammad Aliyu, Director of Human Resources at the CBN and NAHCON board representative, said the decision was driven by a focus on the welfare of pilgrims. “Many of the pilgrims lack financial literacy and would face serious challenges using ATM cards. The cash option is more suitable given their needs,” he said.
Earlier in the year, the CBN had announced a mandatory debit card policy for disbursing BTA to pilgrims. The new arrangement would have required every pilgrim to open a BTA-linked bank account and use ATM cards for all transactions during their stay in Saudi Arabia.
However, concerns were raised that this policy could hinder the smooth execution of the 2025 Hajj. Pilgrims and stakeholders feared that limited ATM infrastructure around key pilgrimage sites, and the digital literacy gap among pilgrims, would negatively impact their Hajj experience.
The CBN’s latest decision has now addressed those fears, paving the way for a smoother Hajj operation. With BTA to be issued in cash, preparations for the 2025 pilgrimage are expected to proceed more efficiently.
