Sudan inflation jumps to 173.30% in March, reversing decline

April 21, 2025 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s annual inflation rate surged to 173.30% in March, the Central Bureau of Statistics announced on Monday, marking a significant increase after months of decline.

The March figure represents the first rise in the annual rate since last August. It reverses a downward trend that saw inflation fall from a peak of 218.18% in August 2025 to 142.34% in February 2025, the bureau stated in a press release received by Sudan Tribune.

Inflation accelerated sharply in both urban and rural areas last month. The urban rate increased to 165.13%, up from 123.32% in February, while the rural rate rose to 181.68% from 155.84% the previous month, according to the bureau’s data.

The annual inflation rate measures the change in the general level of prices for goods and services in a given month compared to the same month in the previous year.

The statistics agency bases its calculations on a basket of 663 goods and services across 12 categories, including food, beverages, housing, energy, transportation, and health, which reflects typical spending patterns.

Food and beverages account for the largest share of Sudanese household expenditure at 52.89%, the bureau noted. Housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels make up 14.17%, followed by transportation at 8.34%.

The rising prices exacerbate the difficulties faced by Sudanese, many of whom have lost their livelihoods and incomes due to the country’s ongoing conflict. According to humanitarian agencies, an estimated 30.4 million people, representing 64% of the population, require humanitarian assistance.