The price of a gallon of diesel at filling stations in Khartoum state rose to 44,000 Sudanese pounds in September, while fuel sold for between 50,000 and 55,000 pounds on the black market, according to statements by station workers on Wednesday, as a supply crisis entered its fifth day.
Supply shortages leave vehicles queuing outside stations
Hundreds of cars and trucks queued outside service stations after imported fuel supplies failed to reach the capital, Khartoum, in recent days, leading to reduced available quantities and shortages in Omdurman, Khartoum and Khartoum North.
Fuel station workers said price fluctuations were linked to the rise in foreign currencies against the pound, prompting some stations to delay replenishing their tanks while awaiting a new price schedule.
Gasoline and diesel prices rise
The price of a gallon of gasoline stood at about 23,000 Sudanese pounds in April, while diesel cost 32,000 pounds. In September, prices rose to 35,000 pounds for gasoline and 44,000 pounds for diesel at filling stations, and to between 50,000 and 55,000 pounds on the black market, according to workers.
Residents of Khartoum attributed the queues outside filling stations to fuel shortages and higher prices outside the stations. They said the crisis had lasted several days, while rising prices had increased the cost of transporting goods and vegetables.
Government efforts to secure fuel
Government sources said the Khartoum state government was seeking to provide fuel at filling stations, but the crisis continued into its fifth day.
War adds to economic pressures
Sudan is facing a complex political and military reality, with the army-backed government of Kamil Idris based in Port Sudan and a parallel peace government led by Mohamed Hassan al-Taishi operating from the Darfur region, which is almost entirely controlled by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.
Sudan has been experiencing a war between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces since April 2023. The conflict has killed at least 59,000 people and displaced around 13 million others, pushed large parts of the country into famine and left more than 30 million people in need of humanitarian aid.
