In a major win for intending Hajj pilgrims, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has greenlit cash transactions for the 2025 pilgrimage, ditching its earlier plan to enforce debit card-only payments.
This policy shift follows high-level intervention by Vice President Kashim Shettima, who personally appealed to President Bola Tinubu on behalf of Nigerian pilgrims through the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON).
The CBN had previously mandated the use of ATM cards linked to Basic Travel Allowance (BTA) accounts for all pilgrims — a move that sparked concerns over logistical nightmares and accessibility challenges in Saudi Arabia.
Speaking to reporters after a meeting with the VP, NAHCON’s Commissioner for Policy, Personnel Management & Finance, Aliu Abdulrazaq, hailed the decision as a “landmark achievement.”
“With just one ATM available in key pilgrimage zones, card-only transactions would’ve been chaotic,” Abdulrazaq said. “Most of our pilgrims are rural farmers who struggle with electronic payments. Cash is simply more practical.”
NAHCON Secretary Dr. Mustapha Muhammad Ali clarified that the change isn’t a subsidy or federal government concession, but a pragmatic adjustment made out of necessity. “Our people don’t shop in malls, they buy from street vendors in Mecca and Medina who take only cash,” he explained.
Backing the decision, CBN Director and NAHCON Board Rep Abba Muhammad Aliyu said the welfare of Nigerian pilgrims remains top priority. “Financial literacy among pilgrims is low, we had to make life easier for them.”
Pilgrims will now receive their BTA in cash at the market rate, a move expected to make the 2025 Hajj operations smoother and more accessible for thousands of Nigerian Muslims heading to the holy land
