Hajj Pilgrims Face Hardship as CSO Opposes CBN’s ATM Policy for Travel Allowance

A faith-based Civil Society Organization (CSO), the Independent Hajj Reporters (IHR), is calling on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to exempt 2025 Hajj pilgrims from its new policy requiring Basic Travel Allowance (BTA) to be paid through Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards.

In a statement released in Abuja, IHR’s National Coordinator, Ibrahim Muhammad, warned that the policy would create unnecessary confusion and hardship for pilgrims during their journey to Saudi Arabia. The group had previously opposed a similar policy during the 2024 Hajj, arguing that it caused significant challenges for pilgrims.

We urge the CBN to exclude Hajj pilgrims from this policy to avoid the difficulties they will face in Saudi Arabia,” the statement emphasized.