June 15, (THEWILL) – Nigeria’s state governments poured over N13.1 billion into sponsoring Muslim pilgrims for the 2025 Hajj, while millions of citizens lack access to basic healthcare and children study in crumbling schools. Sokoto alone spent N1.44 billion on 3,200 pilgrims and Jigawa allocated N6.3 billion. In a nation where debt exceeds N134 trillion and poverty grips over 40 percent of the population, why are leaders prioritising personal religious journeys over the survival of their people? This is a question every rational mind must ponder.
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) managed the 2025 Hajj for approximately 60,000 pilgrims, with fares ranging from N8.3 to N8.7 million per person due to the naira’s depreciation. Unlike in 2024, when the federal government provided a N90 billion subsidy, no federal support was offered in 2025, leaving states and individuals to cover costs.
Nevertheless, according to data from the Foundation for Independent Journalism report, several states allocated significant sums. Sokoto distributed N450,000 per pilgrim, Ebonyi spent N551 million on 33 pilgrims, averaging N16.7 million each, and Bauchi, despite a N145 billion debt, committed N248 million. Jigawa’s N6.3 billion naira payment to NAHCON stood out as one of the largest. Concurrently, the Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC) facilitated pilgrimages to Jerusalem, with states like Kano spending N2 billion on 1,000 Christian pilgrims and Plateau allocating N300 million. These figures underscore a pattern of religious expenditure across faiths that drains public resources.
Nigeria’s economic crisis makes this spending particularly jarring. The national debt stands at over N134 trillion, with inflation exceeding 33 percent in 2025. World Bank data indicates that over 40 percent of Nigerians live below the poverty line and public sector workers in 30 states face delays in receiving their wages. Pensioners have protested unpaid allowances, some for over a year. Healthcare is critically underfunded, with Nigeria’s health budget at five percent of gross domestic product, far below the World Health Organisation’s 15 percent benchmark.
Hospitals lack electricity, drugs and staff, contributing to a maternal mortality rate of 512 per 100,000 live births. Education is equally neglected, with UNESCO reporting 10.5 million out-of-school children and many schools lacking basic infrastructure. Against this backdrop, the decision to fund religious pilgrimages, whether to Mecca or Jerusalem, raises serious questions about fiscal responsibility.
The allocation of public funds to religious pilgrimages violates Nigeria’s secular constitution. Section 10 of the 1999 Constitution prohibits the state from adopting any religion, yet both Hajj and Christian pilgrimage subsidies favour specific faith groups. Muslims, roughly half of Nigeria’s population, benefit from NAHCON’s coordination, while Christians access NCPC support, but non-religious citizens and adherents of other faiths receive no equivalent funding. In 2025, the NCPC’s budget included a N5 billion insertion for vague “pilgrimage support,” mirroring NAHCON’s own N5 billion padding scandal. Such funds often benefit bureaucrats, political office holders and their cronies rather than pilgrims. Both Muslim and Christian pilgrimage subsidies divert resources from critical needs like poverty alleviation and infrastructure, offering negligible economic returns.
This expenditure also fuels patronage politics. Subsidies for both Hajj and Christian pilgrimages often benefit politically connected individuals rather than the poorest citizens. Ebonyi’s N16.7 million pilgrim support suggests lavish packages, while Kano’s N2 million per Christian pilgrim raises similar concerns. Local councils in Ebonyi contributed 266 million naira to Hajj, diverting funds meant for community development. NAHCON’s mismanagement further compounds the issue. In 2025, the commission spent N3 billion on 300 medical personnel who remained idle in Saudi Arabia due to licensing issues, leaving pilgrims to pay six Saudi Riyals each for non-existent clinic services. Most of these are characteristic of the budget-padding syndrome that is afflicting economic indices as most of these funds are often siphoned by officials and legislators. This is why there are reported inefficiencies in pilgrimage logistics due to inflated costs without clear benefits.
The economic toll of this spending is undeniable. Nigeria’s unemployment rate continues its upwards trend, with 70 percent of youths jobless. Education, allocated only seven percent of the 2025 federal budget, suffers from underfunding, perpetuating poverty and limiting economic growth. By contrast, Malaysia, a Muslim-majority nation, funds Hajj through a private savings scheme called Tabung Haji, freeing public resources for healthcare and education. Malaysia’s Human Development Index of 0.803 far surpasses Nigeria’s 0.535, illustrating the benefits of prioritising public goods. Nigeria’s focus on religious subsidies, whether Muslim or Christian, diverts funds from productive sectors, stifling development and deepening dependence on debt.
Some defend pilgrimage subsidies, arguing they foster social cohesion or represent a small fraction of state budgets. Others claim they boost local economies through travel agencies. However, these arguments falter under scrutiny. Cohesion is better achieved through equitable services like healthcare and education, which benefit all citizens regardless of faith. The N13.1 billion spent on Hajj and billions more on Christian pilgrimages could fund significant improvements at home rather than pad the economic returns of the pilgrimage countries. Sokoto’s N1.44 billion could pay 4,000 teachers annually, while Kano’s N2 billion could equip 100 health centres. The economic impact of pilgrimage spending is minimal compared to investments in human capital, which create lasting jobs and growth.
Nigeria must reform its approach to religious funding. Phasing out subsidies for both Hajj and Christian pilgrimages would free resources for critical sectors. The Hajj Savings Scheme, supported by banks like Ja’iz and Taj, offers a private funding model that could replace state sponsorship. Christian pilgrimages could adopt similar schemes, ensuring personal responsibility for spiritual journeys. A clearer separation of religion and state would prevent future misallocations, fostering a more inclusive Nigeria.
Countries that fail to separate religion and state often create conditions where crises deepen, terrorism flourishes, and economies weaken. A 2020 Pew Research Center study found that 70 percent of countries with high government restrictions on religion face elevated social hostilities, including religion-related violence. In Nigeria, state funding of pilgrimages, reinforces faith-based governance, creating opportunities for groups like Boko Haram to exploit religious sentiment in the north. The 2025 Global Terrorism Index reported Nigeria accounted for 8 percent of global terrorism deaths, driven by Boko Haram’s attacks on civilians and schools, which disrupt agriculture and trade, contributing to 33 percent inflation. Yemen, where state-backed religion dominates, saw 90 percent of 2023 terrorism deaths in conflict zones and a GDP per capita below 1,000 dollars. Conversely, Turkey, with minimal religious funding, maintains a GDP per capita of 12,000 dollars and fewer terrorism incidents, demonstrating the stability of secular governance.
Nigeria’s leaders face a choice: continue funding religious pilgrimages while hospitals collapse and schools decay or redirect public funds to serve all citizens. The N13.1 billion naira spent on Hajj and billions more on Christian pilgrimages reflect a failure to prioritise survival over symbolism. By ending these subsidies, Nigeria can invest in its people, uphold its secular constitution, and build a future where public finance addresses the needs of the many, not the privileges of the few.
