Gov’t cuts 2025 Hajj Fare to ₵62,000 Amid Rising Costs

The Ghanaian government has announced that the 2025 Hajj fare will be set at GH₵62,000 ($4,130), a significant reduction from the GH₵75,000 ($6,500) charged in previous years.

The Deputy Presidential Spokesperson, Shamima Muslim, confirmed the new fare in a series of Facebook posts on Wednesday. She also revealed that Ghana’s Hajj quota has been increased to 5,000 pilgrims, up by 1,000 from last year.

The fare reduction follows President John Dramani Mahama’s campaign promise to ease the financial burden on Muslim pilgrims.

“We intend to keep our promise to the Muslim community… one of which was that we’ll reduce Hajj fees drastically,” the president recently said at the National Mosque in Accra.

Financial challenges

Despite the reduction, the government has disclosed that it inherited an outstanding Hajj debt of over $5.4 million. It remains unclear how authorities plan to address this financial shortfall while maintaining the lower fare.

In comparison, Côte d’Ivoire’s Hajj fare for 2025 remains at $5,500, the same as in 2024.

The announcement is expected to bring relief to many Ghanaian Muslims preparing for the pilgrimage, which is one of the five pillars of Islam and a religious obligation for those who are financially and physically able to undertake it.