Sudan industrial recovery stalls with only 10% of factories operational

April 26, 2026 (KHARTOUM) – Only 10% of Sudanese factories have resumed operations three years after the outbreak of war, a leading industry official said on Sunday, warning that banking hurdles, customs issues, and raw material shortages are stifling the sector’s recovery.

Atif Abdel Qader, a prominent leader in the Sudanese Industrial Chambers Union and owner of the Sudanese-Malaysian Steel Industries plant, told Sudan Tribune that the slow pace of industrial return is a concerning indicator despite signs of resilience.

Abdel Qader noted that his own steel plant resumed operations a week ago with an initial monthly capacity of 7,000 tonnes, with plans to increase output to 12,000 tonnes.

However, he cited a range of challenges, including complex import requirements for spare parts—specifically the “Form IM” regulations—difficulty obtaining certificates of origin, high port storage fees, and a scarcity of raw materials.

Some factories have faced delays of over 310 days in becoming operational, far exceeding the projected 50-day restart period, due to extensive damage and logistical difficulties with maintenance and equipment imports.

Abdel Qader called on authorities, particularly the Central Bank of Sudan, to grant exemptions to registered factories and facilitate the entry of production inputs, warning that the current situation threatens the industrial sector’s recovery.

Data from the Ministry of Industry indicates that approximately 1,800 industrial facilities have been affected by the conflict, including 650 factories that were completely destroyed. The Industrial Chambers Union estimates total sector losses at between $50 billion and $58 billion due to the war.