Sudan Fares Rise Amid Fuel Scarcity

Sudan’s Transport Chambers Union raised intercity bus fares by 40 percent and minibus fares by 30 percent this month. The body, which regulates public and private transport in the country, made the changes as fuel became harder to find and more expensive. The price hike directly increases daily costs for commuters who rely on these services for work.

The pressure on transportation has built over the past three years. Fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces started on April 15, 2023. Last year, the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum estimated war-related losses at $20 billion. The World Bank noted that attacks on the Balila oil field disrupted supplies to the Khartoum refinery. That facility previously met about 60 percent of the national demand for petrol and liquefied petroleum gas.

Drivers are waiting longer to refuel. Azhari Mohamed, 60, drives a minibus in Port Sudan. He works seven round trips daily between the Shagar neighborhood and the city center from 6 am to 9 pm. His vehicle burns three gallons of petrol, which costs 105,000 Sudanese pounds. Because of scarcity, he now works two days and spends a third waiting in line. A single wait can exceed five hours. Sometimes the petrol runs out before he reaches the pump, forcing him to the back of another queue.

Fuel prices vary by location. A gallon of petrol costs 40,000 pounds in Gazira State and 35,000 pounds in Port Sudan. After operating costs, Azhari earns about 50,000 pounds daily to support his family. He told Al Jazeera, "We just need fuel to be available so we can work."

Passengers face higher bills as well. Aziza Ibrahim, 38, cleans in Port Sudan to support four children. She cut her work to three days a week due to travel costs. Her round trip to the main station now requires 11,000 pounds. Transport takes up nearly half of her 400,000-pound monthly salary. She sometimes borrows money to get to work and repays it when paid.

The United Nations Development Programme states the war has pushed average incomes back to levels last seen in the 1990s. Sudan now depends on imports as domestic output falls. A global fuel crisis has raised prices for gas, petrol, and diesel. Economic analyst Sidi Ohaj said government rules requiring importers to deposit 200kg of gold and own storage facilities reduced supply. He urged the government to ease import procedures.

Businesses report rising distribution costs. Ahmed al-Haj, a trader in Omdurman, said moving a tonne of goods costs 30 to 50 percent more. Local deliveries in Omdurman, once 5,000 pounds, now cost 10,000 to 12,000 pounds. Reaching customers in other states has become impossible for some. Transport workers are making fewer trips, causing goods to pile up at traders' premises.