Cameroon’s wage bill rises by CFA34bn in 2024 ⁰

Cameroon’s public wage bill rose by CFA33.7 billion year-on-year, reaching CFA332.6 billion by the end of March 2024, according to the Ministry of Finance.

The ministry attributes this increase to several factors. One is the acceleration of back-pay settlements, which reached CFA42.4 billion in 2024, up from CFA32.2 billion in 2023. Another factor is a 5% salary increase in February 2024, along with a rise in family allowances from CFA2,800 to CFA4,500 per child.

The wage bill’s continued growth, largely driven by extensive public sector hiring, has raised concerns among officials who aim to maintain fiscal stability. Since 2021, the government has been working to limit public sector recruitment. For example, automatic recruitment of graduates from teacher training schools has been discontinued.

These measures, along with efforts to clean up payroll records, are part of Cameroon’s plan to meet the public wage sustainability ratio by 2025. If successful, it would be the first time in 16 years. The target, set at 35% within the CEMAC region, reflects the ratio of state wage expenses to annual tax and customs revenues.

Source: Business in Cameroon