Recap of Sudan Croc Dispatch for the year 2023
32 min readJan 1, 2024
This would be my Recap for my monthly newsletter of Sudan Croc Dispatch for the year 2023 in which I shall be mentioning the best headlines, articles, infographics, and content about travel, tourism, business, finance, and technology in Sudan.
New Mobile Applications and Websites Released in 2023:
- Cashi, mobile money app
- Bravo, mobile money app
- Rita, mobile money app. Download from Google Play or Apple Store.
- Mango Gate, an online platform for learning foreign languages
- Tokul, a website for exploring Sudanese cuisine from different aspects and angles
- Peter and Black, fashion and bags e-commerce website
- Bookify, a platform to buy tickets for events and/or organising events in Sudan
- Amen, mobile app to navigate through secure routes in war zones in Sudan and learn about the hospitals status
New Products in 2023:
- Noodles by Nobo
- Reusable pads for women by Salam
- Reusable diapers for babies by Salam
- Andariya published a new book called “Undoing Resistance” and it’s sold internationally
- Nancy Ajaj releases a new book called “songs for life, love, and land”
- Marwa Abdelsalam publishes her new book “She’s Remarkable”
- Capo Ketchup from DAL Foods
- “Goodby Julia”, a cinematic movie by Mohammed Kordofani
New Companies and Businesses that were founded in 2023:
- Lava Store, E-commerce business
New Services in 2023:
- Go and Lemon Taxi apps offered the service of buying events tickets via their apps
- Tirhal Taxi company started offering services of booking travel airplanes tickets for local and foreign trips and the booking of trips for travel buses for local and foreign trips
- Bankak mobile money app started offering the service of paying airplane travel trips via Badr airlines
- Fawry mobile money app started offering the service of paying airplane travel trips via Badr airlines
- Momo mobile money service by MTN Sudan
- United Capital Bank partners with MIG money exchange centers to provide the service of recharging of recharging the United Capital Bank VISA cards
- Bank of Khartoum introduces a new service to its mobile money app “Bankak” of converting from the national currency of Sudanese Pounds to hard currencies like USD and EUR
- Syber Pay offers a new service of recharging the digital wallet of Lemon taxi app
- Syber Pay offers the service of recharging fuel cards “Petrola”
- Dukani — groceries delivery app — offers the service of paying for invoices using Apple Pay
- Girentiya Gallery: A directory for Sudanese companies, startups, corporations, other businesses on X.
- Girentiya Wheels: A guide for Sudanese land transport services, vehicles shops, vehicle accessoires shops on X.
- Girentiya Shopping: A guide for Sudanese shops, malls, brands, e-commerce websites and mobile apps on X.
- Girentiya Diplomacy: A guide for foreign diplomatic envoys, embassies, and consulates in Sudan.
- Humans of Girentiya:
- Girentiya Government:
- Girentiya Kitchen:
- Syber Pay offers the service of registering new accounts using non-Sudanese phone numbers
- Blue Nile Mashreg Bank offers the service of opening a bank account virtually via its mobile app
Partnerships made in 2023:
- Sudanese French Bank and Maxnet
- DAL Group and Linkedin
- Faisal Islamic Bank and VISA
- Momo and Sadagaat
- United Capital Bank and MIG money exchange centers
- Zain Sudan and Sudanese Journalists Association
Expansions of Businesses in 2023:
- Go Taxi mobile app started to serve its customers in Atbara, Wad Medani, Kassala, and Port Sudan
- Looli started offering its products in Egypt (in addition to Sudan of course)
- Omdurman National Bank opened a new branch in Shendi, Sudan
- MIG — a proxy for Western Union and its money transfer services — opened new branches in new cities around Sudan
Relocations of Businesses due to War of Sudan:
These are some of the businesses that relocated to new countries or new Sudanese cities since the war broke on the 15th of April/2023
- Salam Factory relocated from Khartoum to Port Sudan
- Looli relocated its HQ to Egypt
- DAL Group seized its operations and sufficed to operate from UAE
- Yalla Natlob reloacted from Khartoum State to Port Sudan, Sudan
- Haggar seized its operations and sufficed to operate from UAE
- Dandurma relocated from Khartoum to Wad Medani, Sudan
- Gizmo relocated from Khartoum to Wad Medani, Sudan
- Maksab relocated from Khartoum to Wad Medani, Sudan
- Andariya relocated from Sudan to Uganda
- Shawarger relocated from Sudan to Egypt
- Rateena Cafe relocated from Sudan to Egypt
- Bab Al-Hara relocated from Sudan to Egypt
- Contraband relocated from Sudan to Kenya
- 249 Startups incubator relocated from Sudan to UAE
- Syber Technology relocated from Sudan to UAE
- Nirvana Cultural Foundation relocated to Sennar, Sudan
- Amun Data relocated from Sudan to Egypt
- Cush Digital relocated from Sudan to Egypt
Governmental Regulations and Laws in 2023 that are Related to business, travel, tourism, technology, and finance in Sudan:
- Central Bank of Sudan made amends to the max amount of money allowed to be transferred per day to be 3 million SDG (3900 USD approximately) for regular bank accounts and 5 million SDG ( USD approximately) for elite bank accounts. And the the max amount of money allowed to be transferred per month is to be 50 million SDG (65,000 USD approximately) for regular bank accounts and 100 million SDG (130,000 USD approximately) for elite bank accounts
- Source: @HashSudan on X
- Court released the CEO of Tarco Airlines from prison
- Source: Sudan Plus
- The lowest limit for pensions is increased to 37,000 SDG (63.23 USD)
- Source: Al-Intibaha,
- Sudanese Government restores diplomatic relations with Iran
- Source: New Arab
- All licenses for vehicles and drivers that were issued in Khartoum State are to be renewed in Gezira State
- Source: Wakeep
- Curfew is enforced in Al-Nohod City from 7 pm to 6 am
- Source: Wakeep
- Local and foreign civil airplanes are allowed to fly over the Eastern states of Sudan
- Source: Sudan Plus, Aug/2023
- Ministry of minerals relocated from Khartoum to the city of Atbara to resume its duties and operations
- Source: Wakeep
- The Government started enriching its e-government services and started issuing passports via an e-reservation via the internet in a number of Sudanese cities and in its embassies and consulates in a number of Middle Eastern countries
- Source: Sudanese Ministry of interior on Facebook
- The government declared the restoration of Kassala International Airpot and Merawi Airport to work and service for the people
- Source: SUNA
Best of Travel and Tourism in 2023
Articles
Videos
Photos and Infographics
Audio
Text
Headlines
- A new restaurant opened in Khartoum called “Marimba”
- Feb/2023
- Sudan Animal Rescue zoo introduces new animals including: Domestic animals (camels, donkeys, etc.) for people to feed, touch, and interact with, African parrots, Serval cat
- Source: Sudan Animal Rescue, Feb/2023
- A private non-governmental volunteering efforts and initiative by the people of Atbara resulted in the installment of solar LED lights for all of the streets of Atbara
- Source: Hash Sudan, Feb/4/2023
- Dandurma ice cream shop relocated from Khartoum to Daraja St., Southern Gate of Gezira Park, Wad Medani, Gezira State
- Source: Dandurma, Sept/2023
- Go mobile taxi restored its operations in Port Sudan
- Source: Go Ride SD, Sept/2023
- Routine work and operations in the International Merawi Airport at Northern State are restored
- Source: Sudan Plus, Nov/ 2023
- The Government of Gezira state decided to turn a part of Om Barona forest to a wildlife reserve
- Source: Sudan News Agency, Nov/20/2023
- Go mobile taxi app started offering its services in Kassala
- Source: Go, Dec/2023
- Tarco airlines adds Kuwait as a new destination
- Source: Haboob, Dec/2023
- Haboob travel app offers the service of issuing a virtual e-sim for its users and is usable in 200 countries
- Source: Haboob, Dec/2023
- The Government offers the e-government online service of initiating an order to issue a new passport for the Sudanese citizens and following up the status of their orders and to receive their passports from a number of centers around Sudanese cities and in Sudanese embassies and consulates in a number of Middle Eastern cities
- Source: Sudanese Police, Dec/2023
- Motorcycles are banned from being used in Gezira state
- Source: Sudan_News on X, Dec/2023
- Curfew has been enforced in Gezira state
- Source: Sudan_News on X, Dec/2023
- Curfew has been enforced in Gedaref state
- Source: Wakeep, Dec/2023
Best of Business in 2023
Articles
Videos
Photos and Infographics
Audio
Text
Headlines
- A new compound for meat and its products was built by ministry of animal resources in North Kordofan
- Source: Wakeep, Dec/27/2022
- “Karkar Habooba” Sudanese Brand started selling its traditional Sudanese hair cream products for curly hair in Hannover, Germany and they have shipment services if you’re located in another country. Contact the shop using the phone number: +49 176 87540880.
- Source: Karkar Habooba, Dec/30/2022
- Bookify, a new startup founded to provide an online platform for selling tickets to events. The events that they sell tickets are: entertainment, sports, professional workshops, and cinematic events.
- Feb/2023
- DAL Group introduces a new product: Sudanese local instant ramen noodles called as Nobo
- Feb/2023
- Minister of transport declares the buying of 3 new ships worth of 15 million USD
- Source: Feb/2/2023
- Industrial chamber declares the stopping of 90% of factories around Sudan
- Source: Feb/1/2023
- Looli company — a Sudanese brand specialized in producing frozen beef, mutton, and chicken meat products like burgers, kofta, sausages, and etc. — restarted its operations and started distributing its products in Sudan (Atbara, Wad Medani, Kassala, Port Sudan, Halfa, Dongola) and Egypt
- Source: Looli, Nov/2023
- Mohammed Al-Tahir Omer was hired as the new head of the Sudanese mineral resources company
- Source: SUNA, Nov/2/2023
- Many universities around Sudan reopened its doors for its students
- Source: Wakeep, Nov/2023
- Giad Industries built a new center for cars maintenance and a production line for cars spare parts in Atbara
- Source: SUNA, Nov/2023
- A new E-commerce company launched in Sudan, which is called as “Lava Store”, which provides the service of ordering products from Amazon, iHerb, Shein, and Noon. They provide delivery service to these cities: Wad Medani, Rofaa, Al-Kamlin, Atbara, Kosti, Port Sudan, Fadasi, Al-Duwaim, Kassala, Al-Hasahisa, Gedarif, Sennar, Sinja, El-Obeid. You can contact them to put orders or ask questions via cell or WhatsApp using this number: +249117240245
- Source: Lava Store, Nov/2023
- Merchants from the state of Khartoum who were harmed by the war are to be provided by the government with new shops and stores in Gezira state for them to resume their livelihoods
- Source: Sudan Plus, Nov/5/2023
Finance
Articles
Videos
Photos and Infographics
Text
Bank of Khartoum restores the service of opening new savings bank accounts for those who don’t have any kind of bank account in the Bank of Khartoum at all.
The steps and prerequisites are:
- Fill up the form online using this link:https://eaccount.bankofkhartoum.com/
- Bring your passport or national ID to the bank branch in the state that you’re residing in and chosen
- Deposit 10000 SDG (ten thousand Sudanese Pounds)
Headlines
- Maxnet built a partnership with Sudanese French Bank to issue POS machines for businesses
- Jan/2023
- Ziraat Turkish Bank increases its capital to fund new projects in Sudan
- Source: TRT, Jan/7/2023
- Central Bank of Sudan releases a mobile app for giving pricings of foreign currencies
- Source: Wakeep, Dec/28/2022
- Government’s budget for 2023 is estimated to be 5 trillion Sudanese pounds (around 8 billion US Dollars)
- Source: Sudan Plus, Dec/27/2022
- Faisal Islamic Bank provides the service of paying for tickets on Sudan Airlines via their own mobile money app “Fawry”
- Source: Faisal Islamic Bank, Jan/12/2023
- Bloom — the first Sudanese startup to be funded by the YCombinator — seizes all of its operations in Sudan permanently due to hard regulations set by the Sudanese government.
- Source: Bloom, Jan/29/2023
- Bank of Khartoum introduces a new service to its mobile money app “Bankak” of converting currencies from Sudanese pounds to hard currencies and from hard currencies to Sudanese pounds (Which is the same service that Bloom app offered to its customers)
- Source: Bank of Khartoum, Feb/8/2023
- Syber Pay offers the service of recharging fuel cards “Petrola” using its mobile money app
- Source: Syber Pay, Feb/9/2023
- Syber Pay offers the service of recharging digital wallets for passengers who are using Lemon mobile taxi app
- Source: Syber Pay, Jan/29/2023
- United Capital Bank partners with MIG money exchange centers to provide the service of recharging of recharging the United Capital Bank VISA cards
- Source: United Capital Bank, Feb/9/2023
- Sudanese Faisal Islamic Bank restores is operations in 15 of its branches in these cities: Port Sudan, Shendi, Atbara, Wad Madani, Sennar, El-Obeod, Kosti, Rabak, Hasahisa, Gedarif, Kassala, and Dongola
- Source: Sudanese Faisal Islamic Bank, Sept/2023
- Faisal Islamic Bank made a partnership with VISA to introduce VISA cards and online payments for its clients
- Source: Faisal Islamic Bank, Nov/2023
- The mobile banking app of Al-Salam Bank is operational again since the war broke
- Source: Al-Salam Bank Sudan, Nov/2023
- Bank of Khartoum declares to open for two shifts during daylight and evening in its working days to offer its services in a number of selected branches around Sudan. The second shift is to start from 2:30 pm to 8 pm and the branches are: Atbara, Port Sudan, Wad Medani, Dongola, Gedaref, Shendi, Kosti, Kassala,
- Source: Bank of Khartoum, Dec/2023
- Fawry mobile money app offers the service of transferring money to Bravo mobile money app
- Source: Faisal Islamic Bank, Dec/2023
- Ocash mobile money app offers the service of transferring money to Bravo mobile money app
- Source: Omdurman National Bank, Dec/2023
- Bank of Nile Mashreg declared that it will two new branches in Atbara and in Halfa
- Source: Blue Nile Mashreg Bank, Dec/2023
Technology
Websites
Articles
Videos
Photos and Infographics
Text
Headlines
- Mango Gate for teaching languages launches its website
- Source: Mango Gate, Jan/2023
- Ministry of Justice celebrates the first electronic signature for signing legal documents
- Source: Sudan Plus, Dec/27/2022
- Dukkani — a groceries orders and delivery mobile app — introduces Apple Pay as a new payment method for its customers.
- Source: Dukani, Feb/2023
- You can Subscribe to Anghami music, podcast, and audio streaming mobile application using either Sudani or Zain Sudan
- Source: Anghami, Feb/2023
Conclusion
So that was the annual report for Sudan Croc Dispatch in 2023.
You can view the past issues and subscribe to my monthly newsletter “Sudan Croc Dispatch” using the link below:
And you can know more about me and my projects using the link below:
That’s the wrap up and recap fo the year of 2023. I look forward to share with you the next first monthly issue for the year 2024 on the 25th of Jan/2024.
Don’t forget to share this annual report with your family, friends, and those whom are interested in these topics.
Cheers,
Ahmed El-Affendi.
