Hajj travel costs in Ethiopia surge by 90 per cent amid currency depreciation

The Ethiopian Islamic Affairs Supreme Council has nearly doubled the cost of the Hajj pilgrimage this year, setting the fee at 625,000 birr (Sh641,167.55)—an 89.97 per cent increase from last year’s 329,000 birr (Sh337,510.60).

Addressing the media on Wednesday, council leaders attributed the sharp rise to the depreciation of the local currency against the US dollar, which has significantly impacted costs.

“Despite the council’s strong efforts to align the Hajj travel costs with the financial capacity of the public, the depreciation of the Ethiopian currency and the fact that all service fees are paid in foreign currency have contributed to the high costs,” Sheikh Abdulaziz Sheikh Abdul Woli, Vice President of the Supreme Council and Head of the Hajj and Umrah Sector said.

While the cost in US dollars stands at $5,076 (Sh654,804.00)—down from $4,921 (Sh634,809.00) last year—the shift in Ethiopia’s exchange rate policy has driven up local currency costs.

The government’s decision in July 2024 to move from a crawling peg system to a market-based exchange rate led to a rapid depreciation of the birr, from 57 per dollar to its current rate of 125 per dollar.

During the briefing, Sheikh Abdulaziz outlined the Hajj service fees and maintained that “the charges imposed by the Supreme Council are lower compared to other service providers.”

He also confirmed that the announced fee would remain unchanged and urged pilgrims to register early.

To facilitate the process, he noted that a “comprehensive service delivery system” had been established both domestically and internationally, making registration accessible across all regions and city administrations.

Hajj is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca and is a mandatory religious duty for Muslims. It must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by all adult Muslims who are physically and financially capable of undertaking the journey and supporting their family during their absence.

This year, it is expected to take place from June 4 to 9, 2025.

Last year, more than 1.83 million Muslims performed the pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Ethiopia has been allocated 43,000 Hajj slots this year, the second highest in Africa after Nigeria.

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