Kebbi’s N10bn Hajj Loan Triggers Backlash Amid Deepening Education Crisis
Story: Written by Zara December 9,2025
The Kebbi State Government’s approval of a N10 billion loan to support the 2026 Hajj pilgrimage has stirred widespread outrage, as many Nigerians question the state’s development priorities in the face of alarming education and poverty statistics.
Despite thousands of children in the state struggling with basic reading and numeracy skills, Governor Nasir Idris’ administration moved to secure additional Hajj slots for intending pilgrims — a decision that has drawn sharp criticism from analysts and civil society advocates.
Social commentator Sodiq Alabi highlighted the severity of the literacy crisis, noting that 95% of Kebbi children aged 7–14 cannot read at Primary 2 or 3 level, while 94% cannot solve simple mathematics at the same level.
Referencing the 2024 National Demographic and Health Survey, he added that 89.4% of adult women in the state are fully illiterate, with a further 6.4% able to read only part of a sentence.
“But at least the governor is providing loans for Hajj,” he remarked sarcastically, stressing what he described as a disturbing misplacement of priorities.
Political analyst Mahdi Shehu also condemned the decision, describing it as a reckless diversion of public funds in a state battling extreme poverty and infrastructural decline.
In a post on X, he wrote:
“They use religious sentiment to deceive vulnerable people. Those who can’t afford a meal are being offered loans for pilgrimage.
In a state where poverty stands at 75%, over 2 million children are out of school, hospitals and schools are in ruins, roads are damaged, clean water is scarce, gratuities are unpaid, youth unemployment is high, children learn on the floor, essential drugs are missing, and primary healthcare centres have collapsed — this is pure madness and illiteracy.”
The backlash comes against the backdrop of grim education data showing that Kebbi’s population is severely affected by low literacy levels and inadequate learning outcomes.
Critics argue that rather than channel billions into religious sponsorship, the government should urgently address failing schools, inadequate healthcare facilities, and deteriorating infrastructure.
Responding to the criticism, the Kebbi State Government defended the decision, saying the loan was necessary to secure 1,300 additional Hajj slots before the deadline set by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON).
Alhaji Faruku Aliyu-Yaro, Chairman of the State Pilgrims Welfare Agency, described the move as a “decisive and compassionate intervention” by Governor Idris, adding that failure to obtain the loan would have resulted in the loss of hundreds of Hajj seats.
While the government frames the decision as a religious and humanitarian necessity, opponents insist it underscores the urgent need for Kebbi to prioritize education, welfare, and key public infrastructure over non-essential expenditures.
