Governments should have no business subsidizing religious pilgrimages – Bashir El-Rufai

Bashir El-Rufai, son of the former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has expressed his belief that governments should not be involved in subsidizing religious pilgrimages.

Following the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria’s (NAHCON) announcement of an increase in the 2024 Hajj fare, some civil society groups called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene by subsidizing the fare for pilgrims.

In response, Kano State governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, approved a subsidy of N500,000 for each of the 2,096 intending Muslim pilgrims from the state for the 2024 Hajj.

In reaction to this, El-Rufai stated that subsidizing religious pilgrimages should not be a priority for any government, particularly considering the current economic challenges facing the country.

“Governments should have no business subsidising religious pilgrimages sha. Especially not in this current economic climate.”