SUBSIDY ON RELIGIOUS PILGRIMAGES

  Subsidising pilgrimage has become a drain  

Perhaps in coming to grips with the deteriorating economy, the federal government has signalled its intention to end the concessionary exchange rate offered to religious pilgrims. The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) announced last week that pilgrims would individually finance the 2025 Hajj exercise from their pockets, ending the long-standing subsidy regime offered pilgrims by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Although the cost of subsidising Christian pilgrims for this year is not out, the federal government had offered a subsidy of N90 billion to NAHCON to support the 2024 Hajj, an amount many argue could have been ploughed to basic amenities and other social services in these difficult times.

The practice of subsidising religious pilgrimages in Nigeria dates back to several decades. Government at all levels expends billions of naira annually to support adherents of Islam and Christianity to Mecca and Jerusalem. Pilgrimages hold special significance for many people, especially Muslims. Many Christians also undertake the journey to the holy sites to deepen their connection, and “feel connected to the worldwide community of Christians,” and learn more about the history of Christianity. For Muslims, pilgrimage holds a special place as Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam. Indeed, every Muslim is expected to make the journey to the Holy land, at least once in a lifetime, if they can afford it.

However, over the last few years many have been raising their voices on the financial burden of pilgrimages on the government and the economy. Amid the prevailing hardship and the rising cost of living many have been increasingly questioning the policy on huge allocations of scarce foreign exchange to a group, on what is essentially a personal issue, and which in some instances, subject to abuse.

Many states across the country who cannot provide water for residents and can hardly pay teachers salary budget billions of naira annually to support a select few for spiritual voyage to the holy land. According to a report  13 state governors spent N15 billion to sponsor less than 5000 people on religious pilgrimages recently. Indeed, the Steve Orosanye Report of 2012 recommended the abolition of state-sponsored pilgrimages, adding that the NAHCON and the Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC) be scrapped and their functions transferred to a department under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Even if government could not summon the political will to implement it at the time,  the current government is doing it in bits, in the face of the current reality. “It is tantamount to prioritizing religion over the nation’s economic needs,” said the Afenifere Renewal Group, a Yoruba socio-political group. “Education has also been adversely affected by the forex crisis with more Nigerians affected than those going on pilgrimages. Already, thousands of Nigerians studying abroad are being recalled home because their sponsors could no longer afford the fees.”

In the face of the depreciating national currency, the preferential exchange rates granted the pilgrims now constitute a huge drain on the economy. Even if obeyed fitfully, the federal government has also put some restrictions on its staff from indiscriminate trips abroad to attend conferences and related events. The objective is to conserve funds. And in the face of present reforms entailing the removal of subsidies on petrol and electricity, and other general items that affect all Nigerians, it has become imperative to adopt a similar approach towards other forms of subsidies, including those on religious pilgrimages. 

As things stand, it will be more sensible if government can redirect such funds  to critical areas such as healthcare, education, and poverty alleviation. We therefore endorse the new policy. Funding a religious pilgrimage is now a luxury we can ill afford.