As is the case every year since 2019, Cameroon's President Paul Biya has granted a new subsidy to Muslim pilgrims for the 2024 Hajj. This year's subsidy amounts to XAF1.56 billion, an increase by XAF560 million compared to the usual amounts, announced Paul Atanga Nji, Minister of Territorial Administration and president of the National Hajj Commission, in a statement released on Friday, April 12.

"This financial support, coming just after the end of Ramadan, will help reduce the cost of the pilgrimage and make the stay in the Holy Land more pleasant for [muslims]," Paul Atanga Nji stated. The subsidy should lower the cost of the pilgrimage to the Islamic Holy Land, set this year at XAF3,267,942 —an increase of XAF33,100 from last year. The government official assured that this funding will be distributed "equitably" among the pilgrims at the airport before departure, with a bank counter to be opened at each departure airport for this purpose.

This year, some 4,188 Muslims will travel to Mecca, up from 3,165 in 2023, an increase of 1,023 places that have been fully subscribed, according to the Ministry of Territorial Administration. This demand led to the closure of the unique registration desk.

It should be noted that in the past, numerous problems have marred this operation, including scams by some operators who embezzled pilgrims' money and logistical issues related to air transport and accommodation. To address these malfunctions, authorities have taken steps to better organize the entire process, including housing pilgrims close to prayer sites, weeding out corrupt organizers, and adopting a 26-day travel schedule in Saudi Arabia. These measures have significantly reduced the number of complaints from pilgrims, Atanga Nji noted.

Patricia Ngo Ngouem