Sudan Bus Fares Jump 40 Percent as Fuel Costs Soar

Fuel scarcity in Sudan has forced public transit authorities to raise fares sharply this month, squeezing the budgets of working families and small businesses. The Sudan Transport Chambers Union, which regulates both public and private transport, announced the new pricing structure in response to rising operational costs.

The union increased intercity bus fares by 40% and minibus fares by 30%. These adjustments follow a steady climb in petrol prices, which now range from 35,000 Sudanese pounds per gallon in Port Sudan to 40,000 pounds in Gazira State. At the parallel market rate, these amounts equate to $3.80 and $4.30 respectively.

Azhari Mohamed, a 60-year-old minibus driver in Port Sudan, illustrates the financial strain. He operates seven round trips daily between the Shagar neighborhood and the city center, burning three gallons of petrol for a total cost of 105,000 pounds. After paying for fuel, he earns approximately 50,000 pounds, or $5.40, to support his family. Mohamed often spends a third of his workweek waiting in lines that can last five hours before reaching the pump.

The fare hikes have directly impacted passengers who rely on daily commuting. Aziza Ibrahim, a 38-year-old cleaner in Port Sudan, has reduced her work schedule to three days a week to manage travel expenses. Her daily round trip to the city center now costs 11,000 pounds, up from 700 pounds before the war. This transportation cost consumes nearly half of her 400,000-pound monthly salary, leaving less money for her children's needs and her diabetes treatment.

Businesses across the country face similar pressures as distribution costs rise. Ahmed al-Haj, a trader in Omdurman, reported that the cost of moving one tonne of goods has increased by 30% to 50%. These higher logistics costs are passed directly to consumers in the form of higher product prices. Local delivery fees in Omdurman have doubled or tripled, with rates now ranging from 10,000 to 12,000 pounds compared to previous rates of 5,000 pounds.

The supply chain disruptions stem from both domestic production losses and regulatory hurdles. The United Nations Development Programme states that average incomes in Sudan have fallen to levels last seen in the 1990s. The Ministry of Energy and Petroleum estimated war-related losses in the sector at $20 billion last year. Attacks on the Balila oil field have disrupted supplies to the Khartoum refinery, which previously met about 60% of the national demand for petrol and liquefied petroleum gas.

Economic analyst Sidi Ohaj noted that government import rules have exacerbated the shortage. Importers are required to deposit 200kg of gold in the Central Bank and own storage facilities, rules that caused some market participants to exit. Ohaj stated that these measures reduced supply relative to demand and urged the government to ease import procedures. Global energy market disruptions from the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran have further complicated the situation.

With domestic output reduced and import channels constrained, traders report that goods are piling up at their premises because transport workers are making fewer trips. The combination of high fuel prices and reduced availability has made reaching customers in other states increasingly difficult for local businesses.