Sudan Loses $5 Billion in Gold Revenues as Export Returns Fall Sharply, Exporters Warn

Sudan’s gold production has exceeded 53 tons — valued at more than $6 billion — yet official export revenues barely surpassed $1 billion, revealing a staggering $5 billion gap in state earnings, according to the Sudanese Gold Exporters’ Chamber.

The chamber’s chairman, Abdel Moneim Al-Sadiq Alam, said the country’s gold output should have served as a key lifeline for the war-stricken Sudanese economy, but large-scale smuggling and manipulation in exports have drained potential revenues.

He called for a comprehensive investigation and accountability for those responsible for what he described as “massive and ongoing financial losses.”

According to the chamber, interference by powerful companies and continued export manipulation have caused widespread waste. However, the Central Bank of Sudan’s full monopoly over gold exports was described as a positive and necessary step to ensure all proceeds enter the national economy.

Despite that, the exporters’ group cautioned against linking gold exports to fuel imports or other commodities, citing previous policies that led to higher gold prices in the local market and a sharp decline in the Sudanese pound’s value, further burdening citizens.

The chamber urged the government to maintain full control over gold export revenues and allocate them according to national priorities, stressing that public interest must prevail over private gains.

Analysts note that gold remains Sudan’s largest potential source of hard currency, but without structural reforms and strict oversight, billions of dollars will continue to vanish outside official channels.