Sudan Prints New 500 and 2,000-Pound Banknotes Amid War
Sudan’s central bank issues new high-security banknotes to protect the national currency and ease liquidity pressure, as inflation and FX shortages worsen.
Sudan’s central bank has introduced two new banknotes — SDG 500 and SDG 2,000 — as the currency continues to lose value and inflation accelerates amid the ongoing civil war. The announcement was made on Thursday by the Bank of Sudan and confirmed by the state news agency SUNA.
The bank said the move aims to “protect the national currency, ensure exchange rate stability and support economic stability.” Sudan’s inflation reached 83.47% in September, according to the Central Bureau of Statistics, while the Sudanese pound continues to slide on the parallel market. At the current rate of SDG 3,700 per US dollar, the new SDG 2,000 note is worth approximately $0.54, and the SDG 500 note around $0.13.
The rollout comes as Sudan’s financial system faces severe disruption due to the war started by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), now in its third year. Banking operations have been interrupted, government revenues have plunged, and confidence in the currency has eroded.
According to the central bank, the new notes are issued under the 2002 Central Bank of Sudan Act, which grants the institution authority to protect the currency and maintain price stability. The bank said the bills include enhanced security features to combat counterfeiting, an increasing problem since counterfeit cash was widely circulated in areas previously controlled by the RSF.
The SDG 2,000 note depicts livestock and ancient Sudanese heritage, including the Apedemak temple, with a watermark featuring a secretary bird and the denomination number.
The SDG 500 note features the confluence of the Blue and White Nile, the old Presidential Palace, and motifs from ancient Sudanese civilisations.
Local outlets reported that Central Bank Governor Amina Merghani met with commercial bank executives and urged them to cooperate in implementing monetary policy. According to Radio Dabanga’s 4 November report, Ms Merghani said that banking resilience “is essential to preserving financial stability under wartime conditions.”
The bank last changed currency notes in 2024, citing large volumes of counterfeit cash allegedly seized from RSF-controlled areas during the group’s takeover of Khartoum.
Despite the introduction of higher denominations, Sudanese economists warn that printing new currency cannot stabilise the exchange rate without addressing the shortage of hard currency and restoring central government control. Economist Mohamed El-Nayer said that “the pound will continue to fall unless gold export revenues are channelled through the banking system and not informal traders.”
The Central Bank Governor, however praised the resilience of the banking system and its continued performance of its national role despite the difficult conditions imposed by the war. The governor explained that the Central Bank of Sudan continues to implement policies aimed at stabilizing the exchange rate, curbing inflation, controlling liquidity, and monitoring the use of foreign currency.
Reporting by Awad Mustafa