Hajj and Umrah stakeholders are pressing the Federal Government to intervene in the imposition of SR2000 fees on visa for Nigerian pilgrims.
The stakeholders are of the opinion that the SR2000 which is around N200,000 added significantly to the cost of Hajj and Umrah.
This is also believed to be responsible for the low turnout of Nigerians for Hajj and Umrah in recent times.
The call on Nigerian government to institute diplomatic talks with its Saudi counterpart followed the abolition of the fees for some countries; the latest being Pakistan.
Egypt and Turkey Umrah repeaters within one year are also excluded from paying the SR 2,000.
Daily Trust reports that the waiver granted to Pakistan this month followed the request made by Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan when he visited Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammed Bin Salman.
The revised Saudi visa rule which became operational on October 2 2016 stipulates that “a one-time entry visa fee will be SR2,000, but the state will bear this fee if a visitor is coming to the Kingdom for the first time to perform Hajj or Umrah.
“A six-month multiple-entry visa costs 3,000 Saudi Riyals (SR), a one-year multiple-entry visa cost SR5000, while a two-year multiple-entry visa costs SR8000”.
A civil society organization, Independent Hajj Reporters, IHR, was the first to champion the crusade, calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to appeal to Saudi Arabia to waive the SR2,000 tax imposed on Umrah and Hajj repeaters.
IHR in a statement said the waiver, if granted, can enable more Nigerian Muslims to perform Hajj/Umrah with ease.
IHR national coordinator Ibrahim Muhammed and Publicity Secretary, Abubakar Mahmoud endorsed the statement taking cognizance of the recent waiver granted Pakistan.
IHR has observed that religious Ministry of Pakistan recently informed the country’s Senate that Saudi Arabia has agreed to abolish Umrah tax of SR 2,000 on Pakistani pilgrims.
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