Ebonyi Hajj Funding Controversy: Government Corrects ₦551.5 Million Announcement
The Ebonyi State Government faced public criticism in February 2025 following an announcement that the state executive council had approved ₦551.5 million for the sponsorship of Muslim pilgrims participating in the 2025 Hajj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.
The announcement was made by the Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Engr. Jude Chikadibia Okpor, following the State Executive Council meeting held on Friday, February 7, 2025, at Government House in Abakaliki.
The initial statement said ₦551,502,142.84 had been approved for 46 prospective pilgrims, listing an estimated cost of ₦8,784,085.59 per beneficiary. The announcement triggered criticism from some residents and civil society voices, particularly amid concerns about poverty, insecurity and unpaid teachers’ salaries in parts of the state.
However, the government subsequently issued a clarification, acknowledging an error in the original expenditure calculation. The correction is an important part of the story and should be considered alongside the criticism that followed the initial announcement.
What the Ebonyi State Government Initially Announced
In its February 7, 2025, executive council resolutions, the Ebonyi State Government said it had approved funding for the 2025 Hajj pilgrimage as part of its stated commitment to religious tolerance and inclusion.
The initial release described the proposed sponsorship as support for 46 prospective pilgrims and gave the total figure as ₦551,502,142.84. It also stated that local government chairmen were to consider sponsoring one person each from their respective council areas.
The announcement came alongside other decisions by the executive council, including the approval of ₦300 million for an additional 100 graduates of a skills and development programme, with each beneficiary expected to receive ₦3 million to establish a farm.
The council also approved projects involving school science laboratories, road construction and a bridge in Afikpo Local Government Area.
The original Hajj announcement was reported by Metro Daily on February 8, 2025.
Government Later Corrects the Hajj Funding Figures
Following the public reaction, the Ebonyi State Government issued a clarification titled Funding of the 2025 Hajj by the Ebonyi State Government: The True Position.
In the clarification dated February 8, 2025, Commissioner Jude Okpor acknowledged that there had been an error in the computation of the total government expenditure in the earlier announcement.
The government explained that the State Executive Council had resolved to sponsor 20 pilgrims, along with statutory nominees and other persons associated with the pilgrimage arrangements. These included a medical doctor, a female nurse, a cook and security personnel, as well as specified representatives and community nominees.
The 13 local government areas were expected to sponsor one pilgrim each. The clarification also stated that the announced Hajj fare for the Southern Zone was ₦8,626,800 for the return journey, excluding other allowances, charges and levies.
The government apologised for the error and said the total expenditure was considerably below the figure reported in the initial release. It defended the policy as part of its approach to religious inclusion in the state.
Read the report on the government’s clarification of the Hajj funding for the revised breakdown.
Why the Initial Announcement Attracted Criticism
The initial figure generated debate over whether state resources should be used to finance religious pilgrimages while residents were facing economic difficulties and public services were under pressure.
One of the prominent concerns raised by critics was that public spending should prioritise essential services, workers’ welfare, education, healthcare and support for communities affected by insecurity. Some argued that pilgrimage should ordinarily be funded by individuals who choose to undertake it, rather than relying on public funds.
Others viewed government support for religious pilgrims as a form of inclusion, particularly where the state also supports Christian pilgrimage activities. The debate therefore involved questions about public spending priorities, religious equality and the responsibilities of government in a religiously diverse society.
These competing positions can be discussed without assuming that support for one religious group necessarily amounts to discrimination against another. A proper assessment would also require examining the applicable budget provisions, the final expenditure and the government’s arrangements for supporting religious activities across communities.
Chika Nwoba Criticises Government Spending on Pilgrimage
Sir Chika Nwoba, an Ebonyi-based leadership critic, criticised the initial Hajj funding announcement in a statement shared on Facebook.
Nwoba argued that government at any level should not sponsor religious pilgrimages, whether Muslim or Christian. In his view, pilgrimage is a personal religious decision and should be financed by the individuals undertaking it.
He also questioned the timing of the proposed spending, pointing to reported salary arrears affecting teachers in several local government areas, insecurity and the economic difficulties facing many residents. He argued that public resources could be directed towards addressing these problems instead.
Nwoba’s comments reflected a broader public debate about whether government funds should be used for religious travel or prioritised for public services and social needs. His position was a criticism of the policy itself, rather than an objection to Muslim residents participating in Hajj.
Teachers’ Strike Over Unpaid Salaries in Ebonyi
The criticism of the Hajj announcement came amid a teachers’ strike in parts of Ebonyi State. In February 2025, the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Ebonyi State chapter, announced an indefinite strike in seven local government areas over unpaid salary arrears.
The affected areas were Ebonyi, Edda, Ezza South, Ezza North, Ivo, Ishielu and Ohaukwu. The union said some teachers were owed salaries for October, November and December 2024, with January 2025 salaries also unpaid at the time of its announcement.
The strike intensified questions about how government and local government resources were being managed, especially when public employees were waiting for salaries.
However, the salary dispute and the Hajj funding decision were separate matters involving different expenditure responsibilities. The available reports establish that the two issues overlapped in time, but they do not by themselves establish that the proposed pilgrimage expenditure caused the salary arrears.
Read The Guardian’s report on the Ebonyi teachers’ strike for details of the union’s position at the time.
What Should Government Spending Priorities Be?
The controversy raises important questions about transparency, budgeting and the balance between public services and religious or cultural activities.
Government spending decisions should be assessed against approved budgets, legal requirements, public needs and the outcomes delivered. Where public funds are allocated to religious activities, the government should be able to explain the policy basis, eligibility criteria, total expenditure and the measures used to ensure fair treatment of different communities.
Likewise, concerns about unpaid salaries should be addressed through clear information about the affected workers, the amount owed, the reasons for delays and the steps being taken to settle outstanding payments.
Residents can reasonably ask whether the state is meeting its obligations to workers while financing other programmes. The most useful answers should come from budget documents, official expenditure records and credible reporting rather than assumptions about the final cost of a proposal that was later corrected.
Conclusion
The 2025 Hajj funding announcement in Ebonyi State generated criticism because the initial release cited ₦551.5 million for the pilgrimage at a time when some public school teachers were protesting unpaid salaries.
The government subsequently acknowledged that the original expenditure calculation was erroneous and issued a revised explanation of the sponsorship arrangements. That correction should be included in any account of the controversy.
The wider debate remains relevant to public accountability: government should explain how public funds are allocated, how religious inclusion is handled and how essential responsibilities such as workers’ salaries and education are met. These questions can be examined through verified financial records and official statements.
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Editorial note: This article was updated in October 2026. The ₦551,502,142.84 figure appeared in the initial February 7, 2025 announcement, but the state government later acknowledged a calculation error. The initial figure should not be presented as the confirmed final cost of the Hajj sponsorship.