The authorities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have reported that around a million foreign pilgrims have arrived for the 2024 Hajj season.
According to a Saudi Gazette estimate, 935,966 pilgrims have entered the country by its seaports, land ports, and aviation by the end of Sunday.
Over two million are billed to attend the annual pilgrimage in Makkah with 65,000 Nigerians expected to perform the exercise.
The National Hajj Commission, NAHCON, already said it had airlifted 40,696 Nigerian pilgrims in a total of 96 flights.
According to the report, the General Directorate of Passports (Jawazat) stated that the overwhelming majority of pilgrims came by air and their number reached 896,287, explaining that the number that arrived via land entry points stood at 37,280 pilgrims, and 2,399 pilgrims came via seaports.
The directorate also stated that it was harnessing all its capabilities to facilitate the entry procedures for the guests of God by supporting its online platforms at international air, land and seaports, saying that the latest technical devices operated by qualified Saudis who are proficient in different languages spoken by the pilgrims.
According to the report, the Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Dr Tawfiq Al-Rabiah, inaugurated the Nusuk Wallet, the first international digital wallet of its kind in the world to serve Hajj and Umrah pilgrims.
It added that the digital wallet was introduced in cooperation with the Saudi National Bank (SNB AlAhli), aimed to allow managing money and expenses of the guests of God, supported by a banking infrastructure from the SNB AlAhli through its brand NEO.
It explained that Nusuk Wallet uses the latest emerging technologies and encryption techniques to ensure the highest security standards for users’ financial transactions.
It quoted Ahmed Al-Maiman, the Director of Digital experience at the ministry as saying that as many as half a dozen achievements had been realised at the local and international levels with the launch of the digital wallet.
The report stated that it is the first digital wallet and international bank card in the world, allowing Hajj and Umrah pilgrims to manage their money during the period of their stay in the holy cities for performing rituals.
Following this move, people have become closer to achieving their goal of developing a successful super-app that meets pilgrim’s needs.
