The Minister of Islamic Affairs and Endowments, Dr Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed has announced that the government is actively developing a plan to lower the out‑of‑pocket expense for Maldivian pilgrims undertaking the Hajj pilgrimage.
Speaking at a press conference, Minister Shaheem said the current charge levied by the Maldives Hajj Corporation, will be targeted for reduction to roughly 50 percent of that amount over the next five years. Previously, the charge levied was USD 4,537.
“The goal is to ease the financial burden on citizens. We have formulated policies and identified internal revenue streams within the Hajj Corporation to achieve this, and we expect to begin implementation within two years,” he explained.
In addition to cost‑cutting measures, the Minister revealed that the required waiting period for a second Hajj after fulfilling the obligatory pilgrimage will be extended from the previous interval to ten years. This change is intended to give priority to first‑time Hajj pilgrims, addressing concerns about fairness in the allocation of limited pilgrimage slots.
The administration is also overhauling the Hajj queue system, drawing on best‑practice models from other countries to streamline processing, reduce wait times and facilitate earlier travel for elderly pilgrims. Around 14,000 Maldivians remain on the Hajj Corporation’s waitlist, a figure the government hopes to reduce through these reforms.
President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has identified lowering Hajj costs as a key priority, and the Ministry’s efforts align with his broader vision of making religious obligations more accessible to all Maldivians.