Sudan Transport: 40% Fare Hike Follows Fuel Scarcity

Sudan’s Transport Chambers Union increased intercity bus fares by 40 percent and minibus fares by 30 percent this month. The regulatory body cited rising operating costs as fuel availability declines across the country. The price jump lands on passengers at a time when the war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces continues to disrupt domestic production.

The conflict began in April 2023 and has severely impacted the energy sector. Attacks on the Balila oil field have cut off supplies to the Khartoum refinery, which previously met 60 percent of national demand for petrol and liquefied petroleum gas. The Ministry of Energy and Petroleum valued war-related losses at $20 billion last year. With domestic output down, Sudan relies on imports, a process complicated by new government rules requiring importers to deposit 200kg of gold in the Central Bank and own storage facilities.

These regulations have removed some suppliers from the market, tightening supply. Economic analyst Sidi Ohaj noted that this reduced availability relative to demand. He pointed to drone attacks on infrastructure and the ongoing war between the United States and Iran as factors keeping global energy prices high. He urged the government to ease import procedures to restore flow.

The scarcity affects daily workers directly. Azhari Mohamed, a 60-year-old minibus driver in Port Sudan, works from 6am to 9pm. His vehicle consumes 11 liters of petrol daily, costing 105,000 Sudanese pounds. After covering fuel and other expenses, he earns roughly 50,000 pounds, or $5.40, to support his family. He often spends a third of his work week waiting in lines that can last five hours.

Passengers face similar strain. Aziza Ibrahim, a 38-year-old cleaner in Port Sudan, now works only three days a week to manage travel costs. Her daily round trip to the city centre costs 11,000 pounds, consuming nearly half of her 400,000-pound monthly salary. She sometimes borrows money for transport and repays it when paid.

Businesses report higher logistics costs. Ahmed al-Haj, a trader in Omdurman, said moving a tonne of goods has risen by 30 to 50 percent due to diesel and petrol prices. Local delivery fees in Omdurman have doubled from 5,000 pounds to between 10,000 and 12,000 pounds. He said transport workers are making fewer trips, causing goods to pile up at trader premises.

The United Nations Development Programme states that average incomes in Sudan have fallen to levels last seen in the 1990s. Fuel prices currently stand at 40,000 pounds per gallon in Gazira State and 35,000 pounds in Port Sudan.