Sudan Fuel Prices Hit New Highs

Sudan's Transport Chambers Union raised intercity bus fares by 40 percent and minibus fares by 30 percent this month. The increase follows a sharp rise in fuel costs that has strained drivers and merchants across the country. The union regulates public and private transport and cited operating expenses as the reason for the hike.

Gasoline prices vary by region due to scarcity. In Gazira State, a gallon of petrol costs 40,000 Sudanese pounds. In Port Sudan, the same gallon sells for 35,000 pounds. These figures translate to $4.30 and $3.80, respectively, at the parallel-market rate. The UN Development Programme notes that average incomes in Sudan have fallen to levels last seen in the 1990s.

Azhari Mohamed, a 60-year-old minibus driver in Port Sudan, operates between the Shagar neighborhood and the city center. He makes seven round trips a day, working from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. His vehicle consumes 11 liters of petrol daily, costing him about 105,000 pounds. After covering operating costs, he retains approximately 50,000 pounds, or $5.40, for his household. He told Al Jazeera that he simply needs fuel availability to work.

Mohamed now works two days and spends a third waiting in line. Queues can exceed five hours. On some occasions, the fuel runs out before he reaches the pump, forcing him to restart the wait. He supports his wife and a daughter who is attending university.

Aziza Ibrahim, a 38-year-old cleaner in Port Sudan, has reduced her work schedule to three days a week. Her daily commute to the city center station costs between 2,000 and 2,500 pounds. Before the war, that trip cost 700 pounds. Transport now consumes nearly half of her 400,000-pound monthly salary. She has diabetes and sometimes borrows money to reach work, repaying the loan when she is paid.

The war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces began on April 15, 2023. The Ministry of Energy and Petroleum estimated war-related losses at $20 billion last year. The World Bank reported that attacks on the Balila oil field disrupted supplies to the Khartoum refinery. That facility previously met 60 percent of national demand for petrol and liquefied petroleum gas.

Sudan now relies on imports, but global prices have risen. Economic analyst Sidi Ohaj said government rules require importers to deposit 200 kilograms of gold in the Central Bank and own storage facilities. Some importers left the market after failing to comply. Ohaj stated that this reduced supply relative to demand and urged the government to ease import procedures. He also noted that drone attacks and the conflict between the United States and Iran are disrupting energy markets.

Merchants in Omdurman are passing costs to consumers. Ahmed al-Haj, a trader who packages skincare products, said moving a tonne of goods costs 30 to 50 percent more. Local deliveries that previously cost 5,000 pounds now run between 10,000 and 12,000 pounds. Delivery to other states has become impossible, and goods are piling up at his premises because transport workers are making fewer trips.