News: Registration for Hajj Pilgrimage begins in Ethiopia as travelers face nearly 90% price hike

Addis Abeba –The Ethiopian Islamic Affairs Supreme Council has set the fee at 625,000 birr, marking a substantial increase of nearly 90% compared to the previous year.

In the past, the cost for Ethiopian Muslims to perform Hajj was 329,000 birr. However, this year, it has risen to 625,000 birr. In a press briefing on 11 February, 2025, leaders of the council attributed this increase, in part, to the depreciation of the local currency against the US dollar.

“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,” explained Sheikh Abdulaziz Sheikh Abdul Woli, Vice President of the Supreme Council and Head of the Hajj and Umrah Sector.

In dollar terms, the cost of performing Hajj stands at $5,076 this year, compared to $4,921 last year, showing a $155 decrease, according to a media report. However, the Ethiopian government’s decision in late July 2024 to transition from a crawling peg exchange rate system to a market-based foreign currency regime led to a rapid depreciation of the local currency—from 57 birr per dollar to its current level of 125 birr per dollar. This depreciation contributed to the increased cost of Hajj when calculated in local currency.

During the press briefing, Sheikh Abdulaziz presented a detailed breakdown of Hajj service fees, asserting that “the charges imposed by the Supreme Council are lower compared to other service providers.”

He further disclosed that there will be no further changes to the Hajj fees and urged interested pilgrims to register promptly.

Sheikh Abdulaziz also noted that a “comprehensive service delivery system” has been established both domestically and internationally, ensuring accessibility in all regions and city administrations to facilitate the registration of Hajj pilgrims.

This year, Hajj is expected to take place between the 4th and the 9th of June 2025. Last year, more than 1.83 million Muslims performed Hajj in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

According to the council, Ethiopia has been allocated one of the highest Hajj quotas in Africa, receiving 43,000 slots—second only to Nigeria. AS