Kebbi's N10bn Hajj Loan Faces Backlash Amid Growing Literacy Concerns

Table of Contents

• Approval of N10 Billion Loan
• Education Crisis in Kebbi
• Public Criticism and Reactions
• Government's Defense of the Loan
• Conclusion

The Kebbi State Government's approval of a N10 billion loan to finance the 2026 Hajj pilgrimage has ignited national criticism, with social commentators questioning the state's development priorities.

While thousands of children in Kebbi struggle with basic literacy and numeracy, Governor Nasir Idris' administration has taken steps to secure additional Hajj seats for residents, provoking strong reactions from experts and civil society representatives.

Sodiq Alabi, a social commentator, revealed that 95% of children aged 7–14 in Kebbi cannot read at the Primary 2 or 3 level, while 94% are unable to solve basic mathematics at the same level.

Alabi referenced the 2024 National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS), noting that 89.4% of adult women are illiterate, with an additional 6.4% able to read only part of a sentence.

“At least the governor is providing loans for Hajj,” Alabi remarked, using this observation to underscore what he views as a misalignment of state priorities.

Political commentator Mahdi Shehu also condemned the decision, labeling it a “misplaced priority” in a state facing severe poverty and infrastructural decay. Posting on X, Shehu stated:

“They exploit religious sentiment to deceive vulnerable individuals. The same people who cannot afford to eat are being offered loans to undertake pilgrimage.

In a state where poverty affects 75% of the population, over 2 million children are out of school, hospitals and schools are in disrepair, roads are inadequate, clean drinking water is scarce, gratuities remain unpaid, youth unemployment is rampant, children learn on the floor, essential medications are unavailable, and primary health centers have collapsed—this is sheer insanity and illiteracy.”

DAILY POST has reported that the criticism follows the state’s alarming literacy and education statistics, which indicate a population struggling with fundamental learning and numeracy skills.

Observers contend that while schools, healthcare facilities, and essential infrastructure remain underfunded, the decision to approve a multi-billion-naira Hajj loan raises significant concerns about governance priorities and the allocation of public resources.

Nonetheless, the Kebbi State Government defended the loan, asserting that it was essential to secure 1,300 additional Hajj seats for its citizens and meet the December 5 deadline imposed by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON).

Alhaji Faruku Aliyu-Yaro, Chairman of the State Pilgrims Welfare Agency, informed journalists in Birnin Kebbi that the loan represented a “decisive, compassionate, and people-centered intervention” by Governor Idris.

He explained that without the loan, the state risked losing hundreds of Hajj seats.

While the state government has framed the loan as a humanitarian and religious intervention, critics maintain that it underscores the urgent need to prioritize education, poverty alleviation, and basic infrastructure development in Kebbi.

Eze Chidiebere Paul

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