Sudan fuel crisis hits daily costs for workers and businesses

The cost of getting from point A to point B is rising sharply across Sudan. For commuters, drivers, and business owners, the pinch is becoming difficult to ignore. Fuel shortages are driving up prices and extending wait times at the pump. This reality is reshaping daily routines for people who rely on transportation to earn a living.

In Port Sudan, Azhari Mohamed, 60, navigates these challenges every day. He drives a minibus between the Shagar neighborhood and the city center. His route covers seven round trips daily, with shifts running from 6am to 9pm. His vehicle consumes 11 liters of petrol each day. At current parallel market rates, that fuel costs roughly 105,000 Sudanese pounds. Because supplies are scarce, he works two days and spends the third day waiting in line. Some waits exceed five hours. If the station runs dry before his turn, he must start over at the back of the queue.

Scarcity has pushed pump prices higher in different regions. A gallon of petrol now costs 35,000 pounds in Port Sudan and 40,000 pounds in Gazira State, south of Khartoum. After covering operating expenses, Azhari nets about 50,000 pounds per day. He uses this income to support his wife and a daughter attending university. He stated that he simply needs fuel to be available so he can work.

These increased costs are now being passed on to passengers. The Transport Chambers Union recently adjusted fare rates. Intercity bus prices jumped by 40 percent. Minibus fares increased by 30 percent. For Aziza Ibrahim, a 38-year-old cleaner in Port Sudan, the hike is a heavy burden. She supports four children and has reduced her work schedule to three days a week to manage travel expenses. Her daily commute to the city center station now costs between 11,000 and 13,750 pounds. This transport cost consumes nearly half of her monthly salary. She also faces expenses for diabetes treatment and sometimes borrows money to reach work.

The financial strain reflects a broader economic downturn. The United Nations Development Programme notes that average incomes have fallen to levels last seen in the 1990s. The conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces began in April 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. This facility previously met about 60 percent of the national demand for petrol and liquefied petroleum gas.

Domestic output has dropped significantly, forcing Sudan to rely more on imports. This dependency is complicated by a global fuel crisis that has raised prices for gas, petrol, and diesel. Sidi Ohaj, an economic analyst, said government import rules have worsened the situation. Importers must deposit 200kg of gold with the Central Bank and own storage facilities. Some firms left the market because they could not meet these requirements. He noted that this reduced supply relative to demand. He urged the government to ease import procedures urgently. He also pointed to drone attacks on infrastructure and disruptions in global energy markets from the conflict between the United States and Iran.

Local businesses are also feeling the pressure. Ahmed al-Haj is a trader in Omdurman market who packages skincare products. He said that higher diesel and petrol prices have increased the cost of moving a tonne of goods by 30 to 50 percent. This increase is passed directly to consumers through higher product prices. Power cuts force him to use a fuel-powered generator, which further raises his daily operating costs.

Distribution costs have doubled in some areas. Local deliveries in Omdurman that once cost 5,000 pounds now range from 10,000 to 12,000 pounds. Reaching customers in other states has become nearly impossible for many traders. Transport and distribution workers are making fewer trips. As a result, goods are piling up at trading premises, creating a bottleneck in the supply chain.