Only about 10 percent of Sudan’s factories have resumed operations three years after the outbreak of conflict, underscoring the severe toll of war on the country’s industrial base, industry officials have said.
According to Sudanese Industrial Chambers Union, the slow recovery reflects deep structural constraints ranging from financing bottlenecks to disrupted supply chains and damaged infrastructure.
Atif Abdel Qader, a senior figure in the union, said ongoing challenges—including restricted access to banking services, complex customs procedures and shortages of raw materials—continue to hamper efforts to restart production across the country.
He cited his own company, Sudanese-Malaysian Steel Industries, as an example of the difficulties facing manufacturers. The plant only resumed operations a week ago, initially producing around 7,000 tonnes per month, with plans to scale up to 12,000 tonnes if conditions improve.
However, Abdel Qader said persistent operational hurdles remain, including lengthy import procedures, high port storage fees and delays in securing essential documentation for production inputs.
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Industry players say the time required to restart factories has far exceeded expectations. In some cases, reopening has taken more than 310 days—compared with an anticipated timeline of about 50 days—due to war damage, logistical disruptions and administrative barriers.
The conflict, which erupted in April 2023, has had a devastating impact on Sudan’s economy, particularly the industrial sector. Official data indicates that around 1,800 industrial facilities have been affected, including approximately 650 that have been completely destroyed.
Total losses to the sector are estimated at between US$50 billion and US$58 billion, reflecting widespread damage to physical infrastructure, equipment and supply networks.
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Manufacturers are calling on the Central Bank of Sudan to intervene by easing access to foreign exchange, streamlining financing channels and introducing exemptions that would facilitate the import of raw materials and machinery.
Analysts say the industrial slowdown highlights broader economic challenges facing Sudan, where conflict has disrupted production, trade and investment while exacerbating inflation and unemployment.
The limited reopening of factories also raises concerns about job losses and declining domestic production capacity, increasing reliance on imports at a time when foreign exchange is scarce.
Experts warn that without targeted policy support and improved security conditions, Sudan’s industrial recovery could remain slow and uneven, delaying broader economic stabilisation efforts.
For now, the reopening of a small fraction of factories offers only modest signs of recovery in a sector that remains under severe strain from one of the region’s most prolonged and damaging conflicts.
