Katsina State Government Splashes N1.2billion Public Funds On Lawmakers For Hajj Pilgrimage
The Katsina State Government has budgeted N1.219 billion for the 2026 Hajj exercise of the state House of Assembly, according to the state’s 2026 Budget Performance Report. The allocation is listed under the Assembly’s capital expenditure projects.
The document shows that N1,219,604,834.29 was earmarked specifically for the “Hajj Exercise.” The allocation comes alongside other major expenditures for the state legislature, including N445 million for vehicles for incoming lawmakers, officials and aides, and another N300 million for official vehicles for the Assembly Service Commission.
The Hajj allocation has attracted attention because it is classified as a capital expenditure, despite being for religious travel. The broader Katsina 2026 capital expenditure plan reportedly provides N726.3 billion for projects across ministries, departments and agencies.
Other major provisions in the state’s capital budget include N10 billion for the MSME Corridor Mapping Empowerment Programme, N3.333 billion for the Katsina State Graduate Entrepreneurship Fund, N2.3 billion for a data centre, and N1.4 billion for an additional structure at Katsina House in Abuja.
The N1.219 billion Hajj provision comes amid wider concerns about government spending and the prioritisation of public resources, particularly expenditures benefiting lawmakers and other government officials. Questions have also been raised about how many beneficiaries the Hajj allocation is intended to cover and the scale of the planned pilgrimage expenditure.
The report also referenced a separate expenditure involving the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON). According to records on the public payments portal Govspend reviewed by STREET NEWS REPORTERS, NAHCON disbursed a combined N1.098 billion in December 2025 for Hajj and Umrah services linked to members of the National Assembly and the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Of that amount, N234.344 million was paid to Al-Hujaaj International Umrah & Hajj Services, while N863.794 million was paid to Sanilak Travel & Tours Ltd. The payment descriptions indicated that the funds covered pilgrims’ services, VIP Hajj and Umrah packages, and consular services for members of the National Assembly committee.
NAHCON is responsible for regulating and supervising Hajj and Umrah activities in Nigeria, including coordinating pilgrimage arrangements, licensing service providers and ensuring compliance with relevant Saudi Arabian requirements.
