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Sudan's Industrial Sector Faces Hard Road to Recovery
Manufacturing businesses in Khartoum are struggling to resume operations more than three years after conflict erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in April 2023. Before the fighting, Khartoum served as a major industrial center producing food, textiles, and other consumer goods. However, the city became a primary battleground, leaving widespread destruction in its wake.
Data from Sudan’s Ministry of Industry indicates that approximately 1,800 industrial facilities sustained damage during the conflict, with 650 factories completely destroyed. Business owners report that looting and destruction were systematic, stripping warehouses of raw materials, finished products, and machinery.
Challenges Facing Factory Owners
Mansour Gaily, who operated a sweets factory in Khartoum, managed to resume production, but his facility currently functions at only 40 percent of its previous capacity. Estimating his financial losses at $1 million, Gaily cited damaged machinery, missing spare parts, and the high cost of rebuilding as primary hurdles.
Other manufacturers face similar difficulties. Sara Elfatih Khalil, chief executive of Al Teital Advance Industries, noted that her sesame oil factory remains closed because of looted warehouses, damaged structures, and a disrupted supply chain. Khalil emphasized that reviving the sector requires security, political stability, clear economic policies, and reliable infrastructure.
Beyond physical damage, businesses must navigate electricity shortages, compromised transport networks, and rising costs for imported raw materials. Limited capital makes it difficult for many owners to replace equipment, purchase stock, and pay workers before new sales generate income.
Impact on Workers and Consumers
The manufacturing slowdown has affected workers who rely on factory employment for their livelihoods. Many individuals have lost their jobs and struggled to find alternative income sources, while shopkeepers report shortages of locally made goods.
Abdelgadir Mohamed, a merchant in Bahri Central Market, stated that the scarcity of Sudanese-made items forces traders to rely more on imports, which can involve higher purchasing costs and unpredictable supplies. Consumers note that prices for both local and imported products remain elevated.
Official Response and Reconstruction Plans
In August, the Ministry of Industry established a committee to evaluate industrial facilities in Khartoum State and formulate incentives for reopening. The proposed recovery efforts include restoring essential infrastructure such as water, electricity, roads, and waste management in industrial zones.
Economists and business representatives suggest that reconstruction should go beyond simply repairing previous damage. Mohamed Elnayer, an economist, argued that rebuilding presents an opportunity to distribute industrial development across multiple Sudanese states, reducing historical concentrations of manufacturing in the capital and building a more resilient economic foundation.
Source: Sudan factories struggle to restart after devastating wartime losses