Sudan opens jet fuel and furnace oil imports to break market monopoly

October 12, 2026 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s Ministry of Energy and Oil on Monday opened imports of Jet A-1 aviation fuel and furnace oil to qualified local companies, moving to end a monopoly by a handful of firms that have long dominated the aviation fuel market.

Aviation fuel is critical to civilian air operations, with flight safety, operational efficiency, and air transport continuity relying directly on steady supplies.

The ministry said in a statement that it had formally invited eligible domestic firms to compete for import allocations to foster transparency and level the playing field in the petroleum derivatives market.

Under banking and financial regulations, importing consortia must obtain Central Bank of Sudan approval for letters of credit and financial guarantees tied to a mandatory deposit of 200 kilograms of gold per consortium, with each group limited to no more than four companies.

The ministry affirmed ongoing efforts to secure petroleum supplies and stabilize domestic markets within regulatory frameworks.

Last week, 24 Sudanese petroleum companies submitted a petition to Sovereign Council head Abdel Fattah al-Burhan calling for an urgent review of fuel import and financing rules.

The companies said existing regulations stifled competition and created market distortions that affected supply stability and consumer pricing.

Restricting imports to select firms had pushed profit margins to roughly $7 million per cargo, they added, exacerbated by the spread between an import exchange rate of about 5,500 Sudanese pounds to the dollar and a parallel market rate of 8,300 pounds.

In June, the central bank introduced a gold deposit requirement for fuel importers to regulate operations, curb currency speculation, and ease pressure on foreign reserves.