OUR REF: TED/AD/131/2004 November 16, 2004 E-mail address: ted@cenbank.org TO: ALL AUTHORISED DEALERS RE: 2004 CHRISTIAN PILGRIMAGE PURCHASE OF PILGRIMS TRAVELLING ALLOWANCE The following details are notified for the information of all Authorized Dealers and the general public.

1. The Federal Government has approved a maximum of 12,000 Christians, who can undertake the pilgrimage to the holy land in 2004. The Government has also approved the purchase of a minimum of US$500 (five hundred US Dollars only) and a maximum of US$1,000 (one thousand US Dollars) by each intending pilgrim as Personal Travel Allowance (PTA) at a concessionary rate of N128.65/$. The PTA can be purchased at any of the underlisted Designated Banks: United Bank for Africa Plc Zenith International Bank Plc Bank of the North Ltd First Bank of Nigeria Plc National Bank Ltd Standard Trust Bank Plc Union Bank of Nigeria Plc Bond Bank Ltd Guaranty Trust Bank Plc 2. The designated banks are required to sell the permissible amount of the PTA in Travellers' Cheques to intending pilgrims, whose names and passport numbers are included in the comprehensive pilgrims' master list.

3. No pilgrim should be denied the travel allowance on the ground that he or she has 2 no Tax Clearance Certificate. In view of the time constraint associated with this pilgrimage exercise, the Chairman or the Secretary of each State Pilgrims' Board, after due identification, may be allowed to sign for and collect the allowance on behalf of the intending pilgrims in his or her State on presentation of the approved list and their respective valid passports. Please note, however, that abuse of this privilege will be duly sanctioned. Also, in accordance with the Israeli Government's Policy, visa shall only be issued to the pilgrims at the point of entry, that is, at Ben Gurion Airport, Tel Aviv, Israel on arrival.

4. It should be noted that the pilgrimage will be by chartered flights. Therefore, air ticket requirement for the purpose of procuring the stipulated PTA will not be necessary. However, endorsed photostat copies of passports should be retained by the bank for record purposes.

5. The nine Designated Banks are advised to contact the Director, Foreign Operations Department, Central Bank of Nigeria, Abuja for details in respect of the purchase of foreign exchange to cover their sales to intending Christian pilgrims.

6. The attached schedule shows the list of the States assigned to each of the Designated Banks for purposes of procuring the PTA.

The nine Designated Banks are expected to render returns in respect of actual sales to the Director, Foreign Operations Department, Central Bank of Nigeria, Abuja, within 30 (thirty) days from the end of the exercise.

C.E. OBETO for: DIRECTOR
TRADE & EXCHANGE DEPARTMENT

List Of States And Recommended Banks Assigned To Them For The Purchase Of Pilgrims' Travel Allowance (Pta) For Year 2004 Christian Pilgrimage

S/NO	STATES	NUMBER OF	CHOICE OF BANKS
	PILGRIMS
1	AKWA IBOM STATE	224	UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA PLC
2	ADAMAWA STATE	825	ZENITH INTERNATIONAL BANK PLC
3	BENUE STATE	73	BANK OF THE NORTH LTD
4	BORNO STATE	50	ZENITH INTERNATIONAL BANK PLC
5	BAUCHI STATE	79	UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA PLC
6	CROSS RIVER STATE	26	FIRST BANK OF NIGERIA PLC
7	EKITI STATE	28	NATIONAL BANK LTD
8	EDO STATE	74	STANDARD TRUST BANK PLC
9	FCT	159	ZENITH INTERNATIONAL BANK PLC
10	GOMBE STATE	132	UNION BANK OF NIGERIA PLC
11	JIGAWA STATE	41	STANDARD TRUST BANK PLC
12	KADUNA STATE	300	UNION BANK OF NIGERIA PLC
13	KWARA STATE	201	UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA PLC
14	OSUN STATE	59	UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA PLC
15	ONDO STATE	93	ZENITH INTERNATIONAL BANK PLC
16	OGUN STATE	291	BOND BANK LTD
17	PLATEAU STATE	648	UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA PLC
18	RIVERS STATE	1,296	GUARANTY TRUST BANK PLC
19	YOBE STATE	23	UNION BANK OF NIGERIA PLC
TOTAL	4,622