Over 1,600 billion FCFA needed for state personnel in 2025 – MINFI
By Stephen TADAHA
The Ministry of Finance has projected the sum of 1,663 billion FCFA to cover the salaries of state personnel in 2025. The information is contained in its Mid-Term Economic and Budgetary Programming Document 2025-2026.
The document reveals that during the first three months of 2024, the State spent 332 billion FCFA on payroll, an increase of 33.7 billion FCFA compared to the same period in 2022.
The Ministry of Finance also notes that the increase mentioned is explained by the adjustment of salaries by 5% in February 2024 and the increase in the monthly amount of family allowance from 2,800 FCFA to 4,500 FCFA per child. For the 2025-2027 triennium, the government also projects an increasing trend in the envelope granted to the salaries of state personnel, due to the residual nature of salaries, recruitment and various career benefits.
However, the Minister of Finance indicates that controlling the workforce remains the main challenge.
According to data from the Ministry of Finance, between 2011 and the end of June 2021, the number of Cameroonian civil service personnel increased from 206,212 to 346,557 people, an increase of 68%. Personnel-related expenses at the moment also saw a significant increase, going from 681.4 billion FCFA to over 1000 billion FCFA over the same period.
According to figures from the Ministry of Finance, as of June 30, 2020, the Ministry of Secondary Education had 91,177 staff, representing 26% of the state’s workforce. Next came the Ministry of Defense, with 17% of the payroll corresponding to 83.9 billion FCFA over six months and the Ministry of Basic Education, with 77.4 billion FCFA, on 15.8% of the payroll.
