Sudan Fuel Shortage Cuts Driver Earnings in Half and Doubles Commute Costs
Rising prices and long queues are forcing transport unions to hike fares by up to 40%, squeezing workers and merchants across the country.
By Alina Carter ·
Fuel scarcity in Sudan has triggered a 40% surge in intercity bus fares and a 30% increase in minibus prices, leaving workers and merchants with shrinking margins. The Sudan Transport Chambers Union, which regulates public and private transport, implemented these changes this month in response to soaring operating costs. For many citizens, the jump in prices has turned daily commutes into financial burdens that consume a large portion of monthly wages.
Azhari Mohamed, a 60-year-old minibus driver in Port Sudan, illustrates the financial squeeze. He operates between the Shagar neighborhood and the city center, completing seven round trips daily from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. His vehicle consumes approximately 11 liters of petrol per day. At the parallel market rate of 105,000 Sudanese pounds for that amount, or $11.30, his fuel bill is fixed. After covering these costs, Mohamed retains only about 50,000 pounds, or $5.40, per day to support his family. He told Al Jazeera, “We just need fuel to be available so we can work.”
The shortage has disrupted work patterns as much as it has increased costs. Mohamed now works two days and spends a third waiting in line for fuel. Queues can exceed five hours, and if petrol runs out before he reaches the pump, he must start the process over. In Gazira State, south of Khartoum, a gallon of petrol costs 40,000 pounds ($4.30). In Port Sudan, the price is 35,000 pounds ($3.80). These figures represent a sharp increase driven by limited domestic supply.
For passengers, the fare hikes are forcing cuts to work hours. Aziza Ibrahim, a 38-year-old cleaner in Port Sudan, supports four children and has reduced her schedule to three days a week. Her daily round trip to the city center now costs between 11,000 pounds and 12,500 pounds, depending on the route. This expense accounts for nearly half of her monthly salary of 400,000 pounds ($43). Before the war, the same trip cost 700 pounds ($0.08). Ibrahim often borrows money to cover transport and repays the loan when her paycheck arrives, while also managing the cost of diabetes treatment.
The economic backdrop worsens the situation. The United Nations Development Programme reports that average incomes in Sudan have fallen to levels last seen in the 1990s. The conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, which began on April 15, 2023, has caused widespread disruption. The Ministry of Energy and Petroleum estimated war-related losses at $20 billion last year. The World Bank noted that attacks on the Balila oil field disrupted supplies to the Khartoum refinery, which previously met about 60% of national demand for petrol and liquefied petroleum gas.
Sudan now relies heavily on imports to meet fuel needs, a dependency complicated by a global fuel crisis that has raised prices for gas, petrol, and diesel. Economic analyst Sidi Ohaj stated that government rules for importers have exacerbated the shortage. Importers are required to deposit 200kg of gold in the Central Bank and own fuel storage facilities. Ohaj said, “This reduced supply relative to demand,” and urged the government to ease import procedures. He also cited drone attacks on infrastructure and the continuing war between the United States and Iran as factors disrupting global energy markets.
Merchants in Omdurman are feeling the strain through higher distribution costs. Ahmed al-Haj, a trader who packages skincare products, said that rising diesel and petrol prices have increased the cost of moving a tonne of goods by 30 to 50 percent. He passes these costs on to consumers. Local deliveries in Omdurman, which previously cost 5,000 pounds ($0.70), now range from 10,000 to 12,000 pounds ($1.07 to $1.29).
Al-Haj noted that transport and distribution workers are making fewer trips due to the high costs, causing goods to pile up at traders' premises. Reaching customers in other states has become difficult. When power cuts force businesses to use fuel-powered generators, daily operating costs rise further, adding another layer of expense to an already strained market.
