CBN approves cash-based BTA for 2025 Hajj pilgrims

By Kunle Sanni

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has approved the use of cash for Basic Travel Allowance (BTA) by Nigerian pilgrims for the 2025 Hajj, following the intervention of Vice President Kashim Shettima.

The approval came after concerns were raised about the earlier plan to mandate card-only transactions, which many pilgrims feared would be problematic due to limited ATM access and low digital payment literacy in Saudi Arabia.

Vice President Shettima appealed to President Bola Tinubu on behalf of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), leading to the policy reversal.

NAHCON’s Commissioner for Policy, Personnel Management & Finance, Aliu Abdulrazaq, praised the move, saying it would ease difficulties for pilgrims, many of whom are peasant farmers unfamiliar with card-based systems.

He noted that areas around the holy sites in Mecca and Medina have limited ATM access, and most transactions are done directly with vendors who do not accept cards.

NAHCON Secretary, Dr. Mustapha Muhammad Ali, clarified that the decision was not a subsidy but a practical adjustment to better serve the pilgrims’ needs.

CBN’s Director of Human Resources and Board representative on NAHCON, Abba Muhammad Aliyu, said the welfare of the pilgrims remained a priority, adding that many are not financially literate and need simpler payment options.

The decision is expected to ease the financial transactions of thousands of Nigerian pilgrims during the religious exercise.