Sudan factories struggle to restart after devastating wartime losses

What the report says

Factories in Sudan are struggling to recover after the war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces shut down production and caused extensive damage, according to an Al Jazeera report published Nov. 4, 2026. The article focuses on Khartoum and surrounding industrial areas, where businesses that once made food, plastics and other consumer goods are trying to restart amid looting, damaged buildings, lost machinery and broken supply chains.

One factory owner, Mansour Gaily, said his sweets plant in Khartoum has resumed only partial output, operating at about 40 percent of former capacity after suffering major losses. Other manufacturers described similar setbacks, including destroyed stock, shortages of raw materials, transport problems, electricity cuts and limited access to finance. Sara Elfatih Khalil, who runs a sesame oil business, said her factory remains closed and that confidence, security, reliable infrastructure and legal protection are needed before investors can return.

The report says Sudan’s Ministry of Industry estimates about 1,800 industrial facilities have been damaged and 650 completely destroyed during the war. It also notes that fewer than 10 percent of factories are currently operational, with many working irregularly. The disruption has left workers unemployed and has reduced the supply of local goods, pushing some traders toward imports and adding pressure on consumers facing rising prices.

According to the article, Sudanese authorities have begun assessing industrial damage and considering incentives, but business owners and economists argue that rebuilding will require more than repairs. They say the country needs broader planning to restore industrial capacity and reduce the risk that future conflict in Khartoum could again paralyze the sector.