CBN Approves Cash BTA for Hajj Pilgrims After VP Shettima’s Intervention
In a significant policy shift, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has approved cash-based Basic Travel Allowance (BTA) for 2025 Hajj pilgrims. This decision, made in response to Vice President Kashim Shettima’s intervention, reverses the earlier mandatory card-based BTA system proposed for this year’s pilgrimage.
The development was confirmed on Thursday by Aliu Abdulrazaq, Commissioner for Policy, Personnel Management and Finance at the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), after a high-level meeting at the State House in Abuja.
“Out of the magnanimity of the CBN and the vice-president’s appeal, the card-based BTA policy has been dropped,” Abdulrazaq said. “Pilgrims will now be allowed to receive cash instead of debit cards.”
Why the Policy Shift Matters
The CBN approves cash BTA for Hajj pilgrims primarily to accommodate the needs of over 40,000 Nigerian pilgrims, many of whom are elderly or rural-based and face challenges with digital banking.
Abdulrazaq explained that in key Hajj locations like Mecca and Medina, limited access to Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) often creates long queues and disrupts pilgrims’ daily needs.
“Most pilgrims are peasant farmers with limited electronic literacy. This cash policy will ensure seamless transactions,” he added.
Dr. Mustapha Muhammad Ali, NAHCON’s Secretary, emphasized that the policy change should not be misinterpreted as a concession or subsidy.
“The CBN will provide cash at market rates. It is neither a subsidy nor a government concession,” he clarified. “The goal is to enable smoother operations for the Hajj, not financial relief.”
CBN Affirms Pilgrims’ Welfare Is Priority
Abba Muhammad Aliyu, Director of Human Resources at the CBN and a NAHCON board member, stressed that the policy revision was driven by concern for pilgrims’ welfare.
“Most pilgrims don’t know how to use ATMs or operate digital accounts. The cash method simplifies their financial experience during Hajj,” he stated.
The reversal comes after widespread concern over the initial policy that would have made debit cards mandatory for all pilgrims. The CBN had earlier proposed that each intending pilgrim open a BTA-linked bank account to access their travel allowance through ATM cards while in Saudi Arabia.
Stakeholders feared the policy could jeopardize travel logistics and increase financial stress on pilgrims unfamiliar with electronic payments.
CBN Approves Cash BTA for Hajj Pilgrims After VP Shettima’s Intervention