Sudanese pound tumbles on fuel demand as wide gap clouds gold export data

October 7, 2026 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese pound weakened sharply against the dollar on Wednesday as fuel importers scrambled for scarce foreign exchange, while industry sources flagged a 50-tonne discrepancy between national gold output and official export revenues.

The currency fell to 8,800 pounds per U.S. dollar on the parallel market, reversing brief weekend gains that saw it trade near 8,300, currency traders said.

Increased demand from petroleum importers battling domestic fuel shortages drove the selloff, though market participants cited speculative hopes that a mooted year-end supply tie-up between state firm Sudapet and Saudi Aramco could stabilize inflows.

The currency’s renewed decline comes amid scrutiny of Sudan’s gold sector, the military-led government’s main source of hard currency.

State-run Sudanese Mineral Resources Company posted record nine-month results on Tuesday, reporting gold export proceeds of 2.292billionandrevenueof1.886trillionpounds(214 million).

Industry sources said that revenue figure reflects exports of just 20 tonnes of gold, despite official estimates projecting total output at around 70 tonnes.

Sector insiders attributed the 50-tonne shortfall not to mining authorities, but to central bank foreign exchange rules and pricing mechanisms that push trade into illicit channels outside the formal banking system.