By Mallam Idris Almakura
Chairman, Forum of State Pilgrims Boars’ Executives
Introduction
Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 aims to transform the country’s economy by reducing government involvement in various service sectors and promoting private sector growth. However, despite this strategic shift, Hajj services remain tightly controlled by the Saudi government through the Muassasa system, which handles accommodations, catering, and logistics for pilgrims. This control has led to concerns, especially for countries like Nigeria, where the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) oversees Nigerian pilgrims’ welfare but faces restrictions imposed by the Muassasa.
This report examines the challenges the Muassasa system poses, focusing on three key issues: the additional costs imposed on pilgrims, the impact on service quality, and the legal frameworks that govern service provision. It also highlights the tension between Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and its continued control over Hajj services.
1. Vision 2030 and Government Involvement in Hajj Services
Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 is designed to gradually reduce the government’s role in providing services, allowing private players to take over in sectors such as healthcare, education, and infrastructure. The goal is to foster private sector growth, reduce public expenditure, and make the economy more sustainable by decreasing reliance on oil revenue. This shift is intended to reduce the financial burden on the Saudi government and transfer it to private businesses, creating a more efficient, market-driven system.
However, regarding Hajj services, the Saudi government has not followed this path. Instead of allowing individual countries to operate or directly contract private services for their pilgrims, the government continues to play a central role through the Muassasa system. The Muassasa system regulates and oversees key services like accommodations and catering during Hajj, preventing countries like Nigeria from independently managing these services for their pilgrims.
While Vision 2030 is aimed at reducing government fiscal deficits, this policy shift increases the financial burden on pilgrims by allowing the Saudi government to retain control over Hajj services, rather than opening the market to direct competition among private businesses, which could potentially lower costs for pilgrims.
2. Challenges with the Muassasa System
The Muassasa system has been criticized for being inefficient and costly. Nigerian pilgrims, in particular, have faced significant challenges with the quality and cost of services provided under this system, especially during the 2022, 2023, and 2024 Hajj seasons. Below are some key issues:
2.1 Additional Costs for Pilgrims
The lack of direct government ownership over accommodation and catering facilities means that private businesses often provide these services under Muassasa’s oversight. However, the Muassasa acts as an intermediary, and its involvement often leads to higher prices due to the presence of middlemen. Instead of dealing directly with service providers, countries like Nigeria are forced to work through the Muassasa, which adds unnecessary layers of bureaucracy and costs.
This has resulted in additional costs for pilgrims, many of whom are already paying significant amounts for the privilege of performing Hajj. In some cases, the prices for accommodation and catering are inflated due to the middlemen involved in the process.
2.2 Impact on Service Quality
The Muassasa does not own or directly operate accommodation or catering services. Instead, it contracts private businesses to provide these services. As a result, the quality of accommodation and catering can vary significantly depending on the private businesses selected by the Muassasa. There is often a lack of accountability, and complaints from pilgrims about substandard services, poor facilities, or inadequate food during the pilgrimage have been common.
For instance, Nigerian pilgrims have experienced delays in receiving refunds for services that were not adequately rendered during the 2022 and 2023 Hajj seasons. Despite these failures, the Muassasa system continues to manage these services, leading to dissatisfaction among many pilgrims and national bodies like NAHCON.
3. Legal Frameworks for Service Provision
Different countries have their own legal frameworks governing service provision, including accommodation and catering. For example:
– Nigeria (NAHCON)The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) is the regulatory body responsible for coordinating Hajj services for Nigerian pilgrims. Under Nigerian law, NAHCON sets guidelines and regulations to ensure that standards are met and that pilgrims are not exploited by service providers. It also works to maintain uniformity and fair practices across the accommodation and catering sectors.
In Nigeria, the states are responsible for organizing accommodation and catering services for their pilgrims, with oversight from NAHCON to ensure compliance with national standards. However, when Nigerian pilgrims arrive in Saudi Arabia, NAHCON’s ability to manage these services is restricted by the Muassasa system, which dictates how services are provided.
3.1 Withdrawal of Levies on Hajj
In recent years, the Saudi government has reduced or eliminated several levies related to the Hajj pilgrimage, which were previously used to fund the services that pilgrims receive. While this may seem like a positive development, it has coincided with the introduction of higher costs for other services, partly due to the Muassasa system. What pilgrims once enjoyed in terms of affordable services has been eroded, as the financial burden is increasingly shifted onto the pilgrims themselves, in line with the goals of Vision 2030.
Conclusion and Recommendations
The Saudi government’s continued use of the Muassasa system to control Hajj services creates additional costs and reduces service quality for pilgrims, particularly for countries like Nigeria, where NAHCON is restricted from directly managing services for their citizens. Although Vision 2030 is meant to reduce government involvement in service sectors, this does not apply to Hajj, where the government still plays a dominant role, often to the detriment of pilgrims.
In conclusion, we recommend that the Saudi government
Allow countries to deal directly with private sector providers for accommodation and catering services, eliminating the need for middlemen like the Muassasa. This would reduce costs for pilgrims and allow countries like Nigeria to ensure a better quality of service.
Improve transparency and accountability in the Muassasa system, particularly in terms of refunds for substandard services and overcharges. Pilgrims deserve to know how their money is being spent and to receive the services they have paid for.
Align Vision 2030s goals of privatization and efficiency with Hajj services by encouraging competition among private providers. This would foster innovation, improve service quality, and lower costs for pilgrims.
By taking these steps, the Saudi government can ensure that pilgrims, including those from Nigeria, enjoy a more affordable and comfortable Hajj experience, in line with the values of hospitality and fairness that the pilgrimage represents.
This piece was written by Idris Almakura Executive Secretary of Nasarawa State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board who is also the Chairman of the Forum of State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards Executives.
