Retired general resigns as head of Sudan’s El Nilein Bank after outcry

December 21, 2025 (KHARTOUM) -The newly appointed head of Sudan’s state-owned El Nilein Bank, retired Navy Major General Ismail Osman Abushouk, has resigned following a backlash over his lack of financial experience, banking sources said on Sunday.

The Central Bank of Sudan had approved Abushouk’s appointment on Dec. 8, but the decision drew sharp criticism from economists and bankers who argued that military officials should not lead the country’s financial institutions.

Sources told Sudan Tribune that Abushouk stepped down after the appointment was met with widespread disapproval. Abushouk confirmed his resignation, citing “various circumstances.”

Abushouk, who holds a doctorate in naval military sciences, retired after a long career in the armed forces. In September 2023, he was part of a group of retired officers who formally declared support for Army Chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan’s campaign against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The leadership crisis comes at a difficult time for El Nilein Bank, one of Sudan’s oldest lenders. Established in the 1960s, the bank operates 37 branches, and its Abu Dhabi office is a critical hub for financing Sudan’s strategic imports.

The bank is currently struggling with systemic mismanagement, corruption, and the broader fallout of Sudan’s economic collapse and currency devaluation.