Re: 2017 Hajj fare and fate of Nigeria Pilgrims

I read an article published by Daily Trust last week written by one Abba Hikima with the above headline. The central theme of the article was supposedly based on BBC Ra’ayi Riga interview by the Chairman of NAHCON and two others, but for a reason best known to him, Abba Hikima deliberately misrepresented what NAHCON […]

I read an article published by Daily Trust last week written by one Abba Hikima with the above headline. The central theme of the article was supposedly based on BBC Ra’ayi Riga interview by the Chairman of NAHCON and two others, but for a reason best known to him, Abba Hikima deliberately misrepresented what NAHCON chairman said during the interview. 

He succeeded in publicizing his ignorance and deserved to be lectured on process of securing accommodation for state pilgrims, how air fare of $1,650 per pilgrim was arrived at, and most importantly exposed his mischievous intents.

Throughout the interview, NAHCON Chairman never said Pakistan is part of GCC countries. What he said was that there was an understanding between Pakistan and GCC countries that culminated in granting some waiver to Pakistan Airline – Saudi Arabia inclusive. Abba also mischievously ignored other factors highlighted by the Chairman in the BBC interviewed which make Pakistan Airline to ferry their pilgrims at a lower rate of $1, 000 compared to Nigeria.  Cheaper landing costs, cheaper insurance policy, cheaper aviation fuel, and most importantly, both Pakistan and Bangladesh utilize their countries national carrier. Both Pakistan International Airline (PIA) and Biman Bangladesh Air are official flag carrier of their countries.

However, Nigeria relies on profit oriented private airlines to ferry her pilgrims. Pakistan and Bangladesh airlines can afford to ferry their pilgrims at even $500 dollar because it is a government owned carriers, secondly, they are Muslim countries whose government are ready to subsidize hajj at whatever cost.

 Unknown to Abba and his likes, the process of arriving at air fare involves seeking an advice from Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority – the apex aviation body in the country. Secondly, the committee that re-negotiated this year’s air fare with carriers was led by K.K Olosho, who is the representative of Supreme Council of Islamic Sharia (NSCIA) – the apex umbrella body of all Muslims in Nigeria in the board of NAHCON, and a professor of Arabic and Islamic Studies in the University of Ibadan. Six Executive Secretaries representing States Pilgrims Welfare Boards are also part of the team. 

Thirdly, the operating costs for B747 (Capacity-500 Pax) presented to that committee by the carriers has a total  gross hajj fare of $1,702.75. Over flight charges by Sudan and Chad was put at $8, 000 (Item 5 on the list). Other items on the lists are ACMI  $8,000 x12 =  $96,000, fuel & lubricants 12,500x12x$1= $150,000, L&P (NG&SA) = $8,000, navigational charges (Nigeria and Saudi Arabia) = $9,000, over flight charges and others.  It is after the consideration of the above operational cost that the committee recommends $1, 650 as air fare.  If Abba and his likes are genuinely interested on how and why the commission arrived at such figures, he is at the liberty to approach relevant authority or court of law.

In July 2015 when exchange rate stood at N192/$1, an economic class ticket per head on Delta Airline cost about N300, 000 to fly to United States from Nigeria.  Now the same ticket goes for N650, 000, primarily because of the current N368/$1 exchange rate. Lufthansa version of the same ticket is pegged at N700, 000. British Airways, which used to charge N350, 000 or less for an economy class return ticket from Lagos/Abuja to London now charges about N834, 000. Lagos/ Abuja to London, on Air France it is about N400, 000. A Business Class ticket now goes for as high as N3m as against the N1.5m a year ago on the Lagos-London route. If exchange rate has significantly jerked up air fare of a international schedule flight to other countries, how do we expect hajj air fare to remain the same?

On accommodation, states pilgrims’ welfare boards do send delegations mostly comprising of commissioners, Deputy Governors and in some instances, Governors to select accommodation provider and negotiate on behalf of their states pilgrims. NAHCON’s role are limited to screening and also appoints accommodations providers, provide legal framework, and approve or disapprove negotiated prices by states if it consider such accommodation below approved standard.

Agreed, there are accommodations of less than SR2, 000, SR1, 000 but the quality determine the cost. Within Abuja metropolis for example, there hotels of N35, 000 per night and you can also get N8, 000 per night hotel. The differences lie on the standard and facilities therein. Nigeria pilgrims have graduated from being camped in a shallow building and far away from Grand Mosque.

Pilgrims accommodation are rated ‘A’ “B’ or C according to facilities, distance to Haram and Standard. Before 2015, Nigerian pilgrims were usually accommodated in furnished apartments which are about 20 – 30 minutes’ walk from the Haram in Madina.

Now, pilgrims are all accommodated in 3, 4 and 5 star hotels that are in the high-brow Markaziyya area of Madina which is between 1 – 5 minutes’ walk from the Haram. Below is a comparison of the grade of buildings used. In 2014, the total number of pilgrims accommodation on grade ‘A” category in Madina is 49, by 2015, it was reduced to 48 and in 2016 it was further reduced to 27. Accommodation on Grade B category in 2014 was 16 and it was reduced to 2 in 2016. The C category based accommodation in 2014 was 18 and by 2016 there were no Nigeria pilgrim’s accommodation on category C.  It is that category C that the likes of Abba and his mentors want Nigeria pilgrims to revert to.

Again, Madinah accommodation rates of SR2,313 per pilgrim in 2016 has been reduced to SR1,690 in 2017. In Makkah, Pilgrims used to be accommodated in 108 small and medium houses mostly of grade B and C standard between 10 and 30 mins walk away from the Haram. Now, they are accommodated in 88 larger buildings mostly of A and B standards. Out of 88 accommodation occupied by Nigeria pilgrims in 2016, only 7 are in C category. 

 Back to verifiable facts and logic, during the Senate committee on foreign affairs interactive session with NAHCON on hajj fare, the Managing Director of Hasha travels – one of the tour operators that advertise hajj fare package of N1.2 million was invited to shed more light. The aim of that invitation was to compare an Indepdent hajj costs with that of state as presented by NAHCON.

Interestingly, the MD of Hasha admitted that his price tag of N1.2 million hajj packages was just a projection and not an accurate figure? Even at that projection let’s do a common sense examination. Tour operator charges N1.2 million naira while states hajj fare is N1.5 Million naira. The N1.2 million has accommodation for 17 days while N1.5 million paid for 40 days accommodation. Tour operator will give his pilgrims $500 as against State pilgrims $800 BTA. Tour operator who charged N1.2 Million has no feeding, NAHCON packages includes feeding for minimum of 40 days. Tour operators charges does not includes feeding at Jeddah Airport, NAHCON charges includes feeding of pilgrims in Jeddah Airport, Tour operator is not responsible for weighing of its pilgrims luggage, NAHCON arrangement includes bringing vehicle right at the door step of pilgrims and ferry his/her luggage to weighing centre and moved same to Jeddah Airport for onward transportation back home. 

Deductively, the difference between State hajj fare as announced by NAHCON and Hasha travels is N300, 000 which takes care of:  accommodation for 23 days, feeding in Makkah and Madina (Breakfast and dinner) for 40 days, Suitcase (one 40kg and one 12 Kg bag), Pilgrims Uniform administrative charges, development levy and yellow cards. 

Thirdly, he alleged that the N16, 500 paid for suite cases (one 40kg bag and 12 Kg hand bag) is on the high side and that the same bag can be bought at a market price of N7,000. In the market today, the cost of 32kg nylon trolley bag goes for N17, 000 to N21, 000 while the least you can get for 12kg water proof nylon trolley hand bag is N8, 000. Infact, if you want to go for online shopping in Alibaba, Jumia, or Amazon, the least for the two is $255 which is equivalent of N77, 775: 00.  This is the same suitcases that pilgrims paid N16, 655 for. 

As Muslims, we are all genuinely concerned about 2017 hajj fare, which is quite on the high side considering the current economic situation, but that should not be an avenue to for mischief makers to embark on campaign of calumny against perceived enemies and hides under ‘fighting for masses’ to pool the wool over the eyes of Nigerian Muslims.

Ibrahim Muhammed is a public affairs analyst based in Kaduna.