(Business in Cameroon) - Frédéric Mbotto Edimo (photo), Managing Director of Cameroon Airlines Corporation (Camair Co), recently revealed at a meeting with the press in Douala, the economic capital of the country, that the national airline will transport Cameroonians going on pilgrimage to Mecca this year. The National Haj Commission’s decision, guided by the Cameroonian Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralisation, according to Camair Co’s Managing Director as cited in the government’s daily publication, was made on the impetus of the Cameroonian Head of State in person.

Indeed, last year, many observers could not understand what could have led the Haj Commission to give the lucrative transport deal to Ethiopian Airlines while Camair Co, the national carrier, was in much need of the contract due to the financial difficulties the company has been facing since the start of business. These challenges were also affected by the relatively low volume of activity. At the time, some senior managers of Camcair Co did not fail to decry the National Haj Commission’s “lack of economic patriotism”.

According to figures released by the Cameroonian Consul General in Saudi Arabia, Oumarou Issa, around 5,000 Cameroonian Muslims do the pilgrimage to the holy land each year. Considering that each of the pilgrims will pay between 900,000 and one million FCfa for airfare with Camair Co, according to the Consul General’s calculations, which amounts to “a lot of money”. Specifically, with the deal to transport Cameroonian travellers to Mecca, Camair Co stands to earn 4 billion FCfa. This would be a virtual goldmine for a company celebrating its 3^rd anniversary since opening on March 28, 2014 with debts officially estimated at 14 billion FCfa.