By Our Reporter

A faith-based registered Civil Society Organization, CSO that reports, monitors and advocates for workable Hajj policies in Nigeria, the Independent Hajj Reporters, IHR, has urged the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN to exclude 2025 intending pilgrims from the new policy of payment of Basic Travel Allowance, BTA via Automated Teller Machine, ATM cards.

IHR, in a statement signed by its national coordinator, Ibrahim Muhammad and released on Wednesday, said the policy would create unprecedented hardship and confusion in the Hajj eco system in Nigeria.

The group was at the forefront of the same campaign against the use of ATM cards to pay pilgrims their BTA during last year’s Hajj pilgrimage.

“We advise CBN to exclude Hajj pilgrims from this policy because of the foreseen hardship to be faced by our dollar pilgrims while in Saudi Arabia,” it stated.

Before the commencement of the 2024 Hajj airlift, the apex bank had informed the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, States and the Armed Forces that the payment of the year’s Hajj BTA, which was pegged at $500 per pilgrim would be issued in the ratio of 60/40% cash and card.

The bank said only $200 will be given in cash while the balance of $300 will be given in cards.

The decision generated a lot of controversy because of the expected challenges to the use of cards by the average Nigerian pilgrims in Saudi Arabia.

IHR said that it understands that the CBN has promised to implement the policy during the forthcoming hajj exercise.

“Firstly, the majority of Nigerian pilgrims are from rural areas and most of them are not versatile in the use of e-payment systems.

“They can easily enter the wrong pin 3 times and the cards will be blocked while in Makkah or Madina, in Saudi Arabia.

“Who will reactive the cards for them at a time when all focus is on how to carry out hajj rites diligently to attain the utmost reward of Hajj Mabrur?” IHR asked.

Secondly, the CSO said there are less than 10 ATM machines within Misfala and Shara Mansur areas in Makkah – a place where 90 percent of Nigerian pilgrims are accommodated during Hajj.

IHR said that pilgrims will be made to pay for the ATM Cards and the withdrawal charges which will further deplete their $500 BTA.

There is also the risk of losing the ATM cards, theft and scammers capitalizing on the hectic nature of the hajj exercise to defraud the Pilgrims.

IHR added that with Nigeria on the greylist of the Financial Action Task Force, ATF, the tendency is for ATM cards issued by Nigeria to be rejected by a number of vendors outside the shores of the country.

It, therefore, appealed to the CBN to exclude Nigerian pilgrims from the BTA on card policy to avoid putting pilgrims in jeopardy.