The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has approved the use of cash-based Personal Travel Allowance (PTA) for Nigerian pilgrims participating in the 2026 Hajj. This decision, communicated in a letter signed by the Department of Currency Operations and Branch Management, provides a one-year exemption from the planned full transition to a digital PTA system. The move follows advocacy by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), led by Chairman Ambassador Ismail Abba Yusuf, amid concerns from intending pilgrims about the readiness of digital infrastructure. The CBN confirmed the approval is limited to 2026 and reiterated that a fully card-based PTA system will be implemented starting in 2027.
NAHCON has been directed to begin sensitising pilgrims on electronic payment channels ahead of the 2027 rollout. Apprehensions had been raised over digital literacy, particularly among elderly pilgrims, as well as risks of card loss and inadequate technical support in Saudi Arabia. A senior official at a state pilgrims' welfare board, speaking anonymously, said the decision would prevent operational disruptions. Financial analysts describe the shift as a tactical delay, not a reversal, noting the CBN remains committed to transparency and security through digital reforms. Pilot schemes and public enlightenment campaigns are expected to prepare pilgrims for the 2027 transition.
Approving cash PTA for 2026 reveals that even top institutions must bend to reality when policy meets practice. Ambassador Ismail Abba Yusuf's intervention at NAHCON bought time, but the real test begins now—how effectively the commission educates older, less tech-savvy pilgrims before digital becomes the only option in 2027. Without serious groundwork, the switch could still unravel.
