Central Bank Restores National Electronic Payment Switch

Khartoum, August 6, 2026 - The Bank of Sudan reactivated the national electronic payment switch after more than three years of war-related disruption, marking a significant step toward restoring the country's damaged financial infrastructure. The conflict between the army and the Rapid Support Forces has severely damaged the banking system, with branches looted and electronic payment networks, ATMs and interbank transfers disrupted across much of the country.

First Deputy Governor Al-Muatasim Abdullah Ahmed launched the restored service with officials from Electronic Banking Services, the central bank's technical arm. Omdurman National Bank became the first institution reconnected to the switch, completing a successful ATM cash withdrawal test.

Central bank officials plan to reconnect remaining operational banks in stages. The platform is intended to support interbank transfers, retail payments such as electricity purchases and the reactivation of point-of-sale terminals. Restoring digital banking capacity is important for commerce, humanitarian payments and financial inclusion after years of economic paralysis, though reliability will depend on security conditions, power supply and the pace of bank reconnections.