Housing Finance in Sudan

Overview

This profile is also available in French here.

To download a pdf version of the full 2021 Sudan country profile, click here.

The population of Sudan was estimated at 43.8 million in 2020 with approximately 34% living in urban areas. Consequently, the percentage of squatters in cities such Port Sudan and Omdurman is more than 30%, while squatters in the capital city Khartoum are estimated at 60%. With an average household size of 5.7 people, the housing supply deficit stands at an estimated 2.5 million units. Rural-urban migration, partly to escape harsh desert environments, explains the increasing unmet housing demand, which have in turn has the cost of certain goods and services in urban areas to increase. For example, the cost of water, housing, and electricity grew at twice the rate of the price of clothing, food, and other items. Furthermore, despite the importance of residential home ownership as a housing market component, most people living in urban areas still consider their rural homes as permanent residences.

According to the African Development Bank, Sudan’s real gross domestic product (GDP) is estimated to have shrunk by 8.4% in 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to subdued economic activity in the country affecting trade, travel, the price of commodities and financial flows. Economic growth has also been affected by reduced private investment.

Find out more information on the housing finance sector of Sudan, including key stakeholders, important policies and housing affordability:

Macroeconomic Overview
Access to Finance
Affordability
Housing Supply
Policy and Legislation
Opportunities
Urban Informality
Availability of data on housing finance
Websites

Each year, CAHF publishes its Housing Finance in Africa Yearbook. The profile above is from the 2021 edition, which has up-to-date profiles for 55 African countries.

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Sudan

Macroeconomic Overview

Inflation had grown to 124.9% in 2020 compared to 82.4% in 2019. This is mainly due to a 118% monetisation of the fiscal deficit that accounted for 40% of government revenue in 2019 and a 118% currency depreciation. Poverty levels increased from 48.3% to an estimated 56% in 2020. The Sudanese government reduced the cash reserve ratio, boosting credit to the private sector in 2020. Non-performing loans reduced by 0.5% from 3.5% from the previous year to 3% in 2020 despite returns on assets decreasing to 1% from 1.8% in the same year. Sudan devalued its official exchange rate of the Sudanese pound to the dollar on 21 February 2021 from £55 to the dollar to an indicative rate of £375, as part of a move to flexible management of the currency. The lending interest rate was 12% while the mortgage rate also stood at 12% in 2018.

[1] Central Intelligence Agency. The World Fact Book. Africa. Sudan. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/su.html (Accessed 28 August 2020).

[2] Central Intelligence Agency. The World Fact Book. Africa. Sudan. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/su.html (Accessed 28 August 2020).

[3]World Bank (2019). The World Bank in Sudan. 2 April 2019. https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/sudan/overview (Accessed 29 August 2020).

[4] World Bank Group (2015). Sudan Country Economic Memorandum-Realizing the Potential for Diversified Development. 30 September 2015. http://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/684971474437337198/pdf/103352-REVISED-SudanCountryEconomicMemorandumRealizingthePotentialforDiversifiedDevelopmentTheWorldBankWashingtonDC.pdf (Accessed 30 August 2020). Pg. 2.

[5]Ibid. Pg. 16.

[6] World Bank. Data. Sudan. https://data.worldbank.org/country/sudan (Accessed 30 August 2020).

[7] Central Bank of Sudan (2020). Policies, Research & Statistics Department: Economic and Financial Statistical Review January – June 2020. https://cbos.gov.sd/sites/default/files/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%B6%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%82%D8%AA%D8%B5%D8%A7%D8%AF%D9%8A%20%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%86%D8%B5%D9%81%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D9%88%D9%84%202020.pdf (Accessed 30 August 2020). Pg. iii

[8] Trading Economics. Sudan Inflation Rate. https://tradingeconomics.com/sudan/inflation-cpi (Accessed 30 August 2020).

[9] Ibid

[10] Central Bank of Sudan (2020). Policies, Research & Statistics Department: Economic and Financial Statistical Review January – June 2020. https://cbos.gov.sd/sites/default/files/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%B6%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%82%D8%AA%D8%B5%D8%A7%D8%AF%D9%8A%20%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%86%D8%B5%D9%81%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D9%88%D9%84%202020.pdf (Accessed 30 August 2020). Pg. 34.

[11] Kunna, E. (2020). Sudan: Managing COVID-19 Pandemic During a Time of Transition. 29 May 2020. Arab Reform Initiative. https://www.arab-reform.net/publication/sudan-managing-covid-19-pandemic-during-a-time-of-transition/ (Accessed 30 August 2020).

Access to Finance

Access to finance in Sudan is limited. Most Sudanese satisfy their housing needs using savings and money transferred from family members abroad. There are 37 banks and 38 microfinance institutions operating in the country, accounting for 25% of the country’s GDP, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). These banks are regulated by the Central Bank of Sudan. Thirty-two of these banks are commercial with only one public bank. Seven banks are foreign-owned banks and represent 23% of the total assets in banking. Since 1984, these banks have been operating in compliance with Islamic finance principles. Furthermore, the domestic banks regulated by the Islamic Financial Services Board are required to adhere to international standards as per the Basel Committee.

In June 2021, Sudan was placed on IMF’s Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative list given that it has external debt of £22 trillion (US$48.7 billion), making it eligible for debt relief. Sudan lowered its interest rates for the public and businesses as an economic relief measure to counter COVID-19 effects.

Only 15.3% of adults in Sudan have a bank account. Compared to the 34.2% average of Sub-Saharan Africa, the country still has a major challenge around financial inclusion. Furthermore, Sudan has lower savings and borrowing proportions at 7.5% and 4.2%, respectively in formal financial institutions. With the mortgage market mainly underdeveloped, Sudanese can only afford to buy property using their savings or cash reserves.

[1] International Monetary Fund (2020). IMF Country Report No. 20/73: Sudan Selected Issues. March 2020. https://www.imf.org/~/media/Files/Publications/CR/2020/English/1SDNEA2020002.ash (Accessed 28 August 2020). Pg. 11.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Central Bank of Sudan (2020). Operating Banks in Sudan. https://cbos.gov.sd/en/content/operating-banks-sudan (Accessed 30 August 2020).

[4] International Monetary Fund (2020). IMF Country Report No. 20/73: Sudan Selected Issues. March 2020. https://www.imf.org/~/media/Files/Publications/CR/2020/English/1SDNEA2020002.ash (Accessed 28 August 2020).

[5] International Monetary Fund (2020). IMF Country Report No. 20/73: Sudan Selected Issues. March 2020. https://www.imf.org/~/media/Files/Publications/CR/2020/English/1SDNEA2020002.ash (Accessed 28 August 2020). Pg. 12.

[6] Soutoul, S. (2017). Islamic Microfinance in Sudan Helping to Reduce Poverty. 23 October 2017. The Borgen Project. https://borgenproject.org/islamic-microfinance-in-sudan/#:~:text=Microfinance%20has%20become%20a%20crucial,access%20to%20traditional%20financial%20services.&text=Islamic%20microfinance%20in%20Sudan%20has,banking%20system%20being%20fully%20Islamic (Accessed 30 August 2020).

[7] Ghandour, D. (2015). Microfinance in Sudan is Still in its Infancy Stage. International Journal of Research in Management

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Dina_Ghandour2/publication/322925342_Microfinance_in_Sudan_Is_Still_At_Infancy_Stage/links/5a76f44345851541ce594c5d/Microfinance-in-Sudan-Is-Still-At-InfancyStage.pdf?origin=publication_detail (Accessed 26 August 2020). Pg. 3.

[8] Ghandour, D. (2015). Microfinance in Sudan is Still in its Infancy Stage. International Journal of Research in Management

[9] Soutoul, S. (2017). Islamic Microfinance in Sudan Helping to Reduce Poverty. 23 October 2017. The Borgen Project. https://borgenproject.org/islamic-microfinance-in-sudan/#:~:text=Microfinance%20has%20become%20a%20crucial,access%20to%20traditional%20financial%20services.&text=Islamic%20microfinance%20in%20Sudan%20has,banking%20system%20being%20fully%20Islamic (Accessed 30 August 2020).

[10] KPMG (2020). Sudan Government and institution measures in response to COVID-19. 19 April 2020. https://home.kpmg/xx/en/home/insights/2020/04/sudan-government-and-institution-measures-in-response-to-covid.html (Accessed 30 August 2020).

Affordability

The lack of a national urban development strategy, including a coordinated state urban development plan, and a lack of a comprehensive vision for land use and natural resource utilisation, has made affordable housing challenging. According to a 2019 report by the Sudanese Contractors Association, the country mostly relies on building material imports. Land prices in 2018, for example, in Khartoum were as high as £661 500/m2 (US$1 465/m2). The high land prices are attributed to government policies, high demand, a weak local currency, and rising inflation rates.

Due to limited access to finance and low salaries, housing affordability is low. On average, it costs £85 804 (US$190) to £265 100 (US$587) a month to rent an apartment. The price of an apartment per meter square ranges between £240 700 (US$533) and £444 000 (US$983). These prices depend on the location and size of the property. Purchasing these apartments is difficult because of low access to financial instruments such as loans, mortgages, and bonds. The average monthly net salary is £47 900 (US$106) while the interest rate on a mortgage yearly is 15% for 20 years fixed rate.

The mortgage market is underdeveloped, and uptake is low. However, some banks in Sudan offer home finance for construction and renovation for both locals and foreigners. For example, the Bank of Khartoum offers up to £35 000 000 (US$77 502) for home construction, with minimum equity of only 25% of the construction cost, and finance tenure up to 15 years.

Sudan has an existing bond market that is compliant with Islamic banking principles. This bond market, known as Sukuk (Arabic name for financial certificates), was introduced in 1984 by the Higher Shari’ah Supervisory Board and experts from the IMF to comply with the Islamic banking system (Sharia) implemented in 1983. These Sukuk certificate issuances come in the form of Central Bank Musharakah Certificates and Government Musharakah Certificates (GMCs). The Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, acting on behalf of the government, issues the GMCs every three months with a maturity period of one year, with the aim of managing liquidity and to cover budget deficits. These certificates are issued in denominations of £500 (US$1.1) and an investor can purchase any number of certificates. To manage the issuance of these Sukuk, the Sudan Financial Services Company was established in 1998 by the Central Bank of Sudan. Despite both Sukuk and bonds providing investors with payment streams, income from Sukuk cannot be speculative as it will no longer be Sharia-compliant.

GMCs have been rapidly growing since the first issuance in 1999. Its demand depends on free risk, high profitability, the short-term maturity period of one year, and the high liquidity which matches the investor’s objectives. In 2014, the total value of Sukuk traded on the Khartoum Stock Exchange was £5.5 million representing 94% of the total value traded. Commercial banks hold the largest ownership of Sukuks followed by funds and companies. Sukuk can be for different purposes. For example, in May 2021, the Bank of Khartoum through its subsidiary Sanabel launched a green Sukuk worth £5.1 billion (US$11.3 million) for renewable energy. The bond-like instrument involves a direct asset ownership interest compared to mainstream bonds in countries such as the United States, United Kingdom and Kenya that are indirect interest-bearing debt obligations.

[1] Dongla, M.A. (2019). State of the Housing Industry – Sudan. Sudanese Contractors Association. http://www.internationalhousingassociation.org/fileUpload_details.aspx?contentTypeID=3&contentID=266313&subContentID=721497&channelID=38488 (Accessed 30 August 2020). Pg. 11.

[2] Numbeo. Cost of Living in Sudan. https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/country_result.jsp?country=Sudan (Accessed 30 August 2020).

[3] Dongla, M.A. (2019). State of the Housing Industry – Sudan. Sudanese Contractors Association. http://www.internationalhousingassociation.org/fileUpload_details.aspx?contentTypeID=3&contentID=266313&subContentID=721497&channelID=38488 (Accessed 30 August 2020). Pg. 12.

[4]Ibid. Pg. 12.

[5] Ibid. Pg. 14.

[6] Dongla, M.A. (2019). State of the Housing Industry – Sudan. Sudanese Contractors Association. http://www.internationalhousingassociation.org/fileUpload_details.aspx?contentTypeID=3&contentID=266313&subContentID=721497&channelID=38488 (Accessed 30 August 2020). Pg. 14.

[7] Dongla, M.A. (2019). State of the Housing Industry – Sudan. Sudanese Contractors Association. http://www.internationalhousingassociation.org/fileUpload_details.aspx?contentTypeID=3&contentID=266313&subContentID=721497&channelID=38488 (Accessed 30 August 2020). Pg. 14.

[8] Dongla, M.A. (2019). State of the Housing Industry – Sudan. Sudanese Contractors Association. http://www.internationalhousingassociation.org/fileUpload_details.aspx?contentTypeID=3&contentID=266313&subContentID=721497&channelID=38488. (Accessed 30 August 2020). Pg. 14.

[9] Omer, K. (2018). Policy Reform, not Evictions! The Case of Slum Urbanisation in Khartoum, Sudan. 20 September 2020. Urbanet. https://www.urbanet.info/sudan-slum-urbanisation/ (Accessed 30 August 2020).

[10] Ibid.

[11]Ibid.

[12]Ibid.

[13] Ibid.

[14] Central Bank of Sudan (2020). Policies, Research & Statistics Department: Economic and Financial Statistical Review January – June 2020. https://cbos.gov.sd/sites/default/files/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%B6%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%82%D8%AA%D8%B5%D8%A7%D8%AF%D9%8A%20%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%86%D8%B5%D9%81%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D9%88%D9%84%202020.pdf (Accessed 30 August 2020). Pg. 44.

[15] Central Intelligence Agency. The World Fact Book. Africa. Sudan. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/su.html (Accessed 28 August 2020).

[16] Kunna, E. (2020). Sudan: Managing COVID-19 Pandemic during a Time of Transition. 29 May 2020. Arab Reform Initiative. https://www.arab-reform.net/publication/sudan-managing-covid-19-pandemic-during-a-time-of-transition/ (Accessed 30 August 2020).

Housing Supply

Most residencies in Khartoum are single-story buildings built on 300m2 to 500m2 plots. Khartoum also has an estimated 96 informal settlements that house more than two-million people. The city has had four master plans since independence that have been partially implemented, with the fourth underway. In March 2020, the Al-Doha residential complex project in Kassala State was launched. For most Sudanese, access to basic housing remains largely unaffordable and the country has a huge housing gap. The housing supply deficit is estimated at 2.5 million units. A major challenge to closing this housing gap is the high land and construction costs.

The market dynamics of housing in Sudan include owned, rented, employment related housing, and free housing. A total 86.98% of housing units are owned and 7.42% are rented. The people who rent these houses do so from agricultural scheme authorities or landlords. Land is a major challenge with most of the land being owned by the central government. The government does not recognise customary land tenure and is struggling to formalise titles and land tenure. Land is being allocated on a leasehold basis at present.

Another housing supply challenge is the high cost of construction, which is astronomically high compared to Sudanese’s wages. It takes the average Sudanese between 20 to 83 years on average to raise capital for construction. This cost does not factor in the cost of the land. For example, to build a modest home without the land cost is equal to a civil servant’s gross salary for a decade in Sudan. To break it down, to construct a house, it costs between £9 900 (US$22) and £38 000 (US$84) a month depending on the type of housing and interest rate. This is assuming a saving rate of 25% of a person’s income in Sudan. The high cost of construction is mainly attributed to government policy. Government duties on materials can sometimes reach over 100% in addition to a 17% VAT charge. With the secession of South Sudan in 2011, labour costs and renting of construction machines have shot up. This is because most labourers were from the South.

The higher income housing market in Khartoum has, however, experienced growth. This can be attributed to the ability of the private sector being able to find investment partners and guaranteed potential returns.

[1] UN-Habitat (2014). Sudan’s Report For United Nations’ Third Conference On Housing and Sustainable Urban Development, (Habitat III), 2016. December 2014. http://habitat3.org/wp-content/uploads/Sudan-National-Report.pdf (Accessed 30 August 2020). Pg.43.

[2] Dongla, M.A. (2019). State of the Housing Industry – Sudan. Sudanese Contractors Association. http://www.internationalhousingassociation.org/fileUpload_details.aspx?contentTypeID=3&contentID=266313&subContentID=721497&channelID=38488 (Accessed 30 August 2020). Pg. 15.

[3] Awad, Z.E. (2019). Sustainable low-cost housing in Sudan between Theory and Practice. International Journal of Engineering Research and General Science Volume 7, Issue 5, September-October 2019. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Zuhal_Awad2/publication/336375363_Sustainable_low-cost_housing_in_Sudan_between_Theory_and_Practice/links/5d9f06ac299bf13f40d170ae/Sustainable-low-cost-housing-in-Sudan-between-Theory-and-Practice.pdf?origin=publication_detail (Accessed 30 August 2020). Pgs. 86-96.

[4] Ibid. Pgs. 86-96.

[5]Ibid. Pgs. 86-96.

[6]Ibid. Pg. 93.

[7] Ibid. Pg. 96.

[8]Ibid. Pgs. 86-96.

Policy and Legislation

Sudan has just begun developing its first urban policy at the state level. It also intends to prioritise national sustainable development projects and consider spatial dimensions. Out of the 18 states, only a few have local plans or structures in place. This is because it’s a challenging task for the state governments.

The country has a residential lands class classification system. First introduced in 1906 with an initial three classes, it now has five classes (first, second, third, fourth and fifth). The classification is according to a person’s economic ability and ability to develop a piece of plot. The first-class areas contain large sizes of plots, minimum durable building materials permissible, and a long lease period. In contrast, the third-class areas have smaller sizes of plots, less durable building material permissible, and shorter lease period. This has affected the design of the neighbourhoods as more effort has been put in designing for the upper class who fall under the first- and second-class areas. Due to this, there is a persistent stigma around neighbourhoods, methods and materials for lower class areas consisting of the third and fourth classes. This has resulted in inadequate designs that do not meet daily needs such as the movement of the residents in these areas.

Sudan lacks a digitised land tenure and title system. Furthermore, the country lacks a central land administration authority. Sudan’s legal framework for land governance is a complex mix of customary and statutory laws that have evolved over time. The country has an Interim National Constitution that empowers the establishment of a National Land Commission (NLC) to direct the development of land policy, policies for the recognition of customary land rights, and the adjudication of land disputes. There is a call for State Land Commissions in Darfur, Blue Nile and Southern Kordofan states to act on behalf of the NLC. Plans are underway to draft a new constitution. The housing industry is constrained by statutory development procedures. According to the Doing Business 2020 report by the World Bank Group, it takes 11 days at a cost of 2.6% of the property value to register property in Sudan. To obtain construction permits, it takes 255 days.

The Sudanese property market has both real estate agents and brokers who act on behalf of companies and clients respectively. They take part in the selling of both land (plots) and houses. Some have an online presence in the form of websites listing the properties (both houses and plots).

Women acquire access to land indirectly through male family members or their husbands. These derived rights tend to be weaker than primary male rights. Sharia law is used in most of Sudan and governs property rights in the event of marriage, death and divorce. This law recognises women’s rights to hold property. However, according to local customs, land rights tend to be retained by male family members. Women-headed households face special obstacles after a divorce or the death of their husbands when attempting to access land. For a widow to claim inherited leasehold rights from the government, she must obtain a death certificate. This certificate is not easy to get.

The Islamic law prohibits interest (Riba), which makes it impossible to use interest bearing loan debt instruments as a viable investment source. Sukuk was created to allow investors to find a way around this law and still reap the benefits of debt financing. The instrument does this by linking the returns and cash flows of debt financing to a specific asset being purchased. This enables it effectively to distribute the benefits of that asset. The government plays a key role in housing delivery through drafting of policies and legislations around the housing sector. For example, it has established the National Fund for Housing and Development schemes to enable the low-income citizens obtain adequate housing and to eliminate the squatter settlements.

Local governments have also been involved in solving this issue. Between 1991 and 1996, the local government of Khartoum built around 2 000 core housing units in Greater Khartoum. After 1996, in an effort to solve the housing problem, it established a state fund for housing and development. The fund was to enable access to adequate housing across all classes by providing more core units (30m2 for moderate and low-income households). The fund was able to provide more than a million social housing units in Khartoum, Khartoum North, and Omdurman by 2015. The state fund’s most notable project is the Elthora hara 72 Project. The project began in 2003 and has 1 818 houses. There are three types of dwellings: low-cost housing for low-income families, economic housing for middle income families, and investment housing for high income families.

A core unit for both low-cost and economic housing consists of one bedroom, toilet, and kitchen. The investment housing has a villa that consists of a living area, two bedrooms, a kitchen, and a bathroom. Furthermore, the construction of the house permits vertical expansion.

[1] Awad, Z.E. and Jaafer, Z. (2016). Sustainability evaluation for low-cost housing projects in Sudan with special reference to Khartoum State Fund for Housing and Development projects. Journal of Engineering and Architecture. Volume 4, No.2 2016. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/324149738_AwadZE_and_JaaferZ_Sustainability_evaluation_for_lowcost_housing_projects_in_Sudan_with_special_reference_to_Khartoum_State_Fund_for_Housing_and_Development_projectsJournal_of_Engineering_and_Archite (Accessed 31 August 2020). Pg. 4.

[2]Ibid. Pg. 4.

[3] Franck, A. (2018). Land Insecurity in Khartoum: When Land Titles Fail to Protect Against Public Predation. 6 June 2018. Metro politics. https://www.metropolitiques.eu/Land-Insecurity-in-Khartoum-When-Land-Titles-Fail-to-Protect-Against-Public.html (Accessed 31 August 2020).

[4] Franck, A. (2018). Land Insecurity in Khartoum: When Land Titles Fail to Protect Against Public Predation. 6 June 2018. Metro politics. https://www.metropolitiques.eu/Land-Insecurity-in-Khartoum-When-Land-Titles-Fail-to-Protect-Against-Public.html (Accessed 31 August 2020).

Opportunities

Sudan faces similar problems to many developing countries. This includes inefficiency in the materials industry and inadequate capacity. These problems can be attributed to lack of finance, lack of developed infrastructure, lack of education and training programmes, and the lack of skilled labour. However, the problems offer the country the opportunity to improve housing by developing local capacity in the area of material and building technologies for construction.

One possible solution is alternative materials and building technologies. This can then be affordable for the low- and middle-income class. To provide these affordable technologies and building materials, knowledge and technology transfer is needed to achieve this. This will reduce the cost of building materials and create diverse economic opportunities locally. However, it depends on capacity building of the local authorities to be able to create housing policies aligned to sustainable development objectives and goals.

[1] Awad, Z.E. (2019). Sustainable low-cost housing in Sudan between Theory and Practice. International Journal of Engineering Research and General Science Volume 7, Issue 5, September-October 2019. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Zuhal_Awad2/publication/336375363_Sustainable_low-cost_housing_in_Sudan_between_Theory_and_Practice/links/5d9f06ac299bf13f40d170ae/Sustainable-low-cost-housing-in-Sudan-between-Theory-and-Practice.pdf?origin=publication_detail (Accessed 30 August 2020). Pg. 100.

Urban Informality

Sudan has a population growth rate of 2.4%, an urban growth rate of 2.5%, and a rapid urbanisation rate of 3.29% per annum. A total of 88.4% of the urban population lives in informal settlements. Most urban households living in informal settlements are made up of migrants from rural areas in search of employment and better opportunities.

Seventy-two percent of Sudan is desert, which has led to the country experiencing harsh environmental crises including water scarcity. Despite this, 78.3% of the urban population have access to basic water supply, and 57% of the urban population have access to basic WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) services. This is partly thanks to the Blue Nile which passes through the country. The river is a major source of water and livelihood. However, it’s currently facing a threat from the megadam project in Ethiopia.

To improve the housing conditions, the government of Sudan has established the National Fund for Housing and Development schemes to enable the low-income citizens to obtain adequate housing and eliminate squatter settlements. In addition, as most of the land is owned by the government, the government gives land to private investors to build housing units for the Sudanese. However, the government sometimes responds to the demand for housing by forcefully evicting the informal settlement occupants. The settlements are then demolished, and the sites leased to investors for the construction of new residential houses.

[1] Kunna, E. (2020). Sudan: Managing COVID-19 Pandemic during a Time of Transition. 29 May 2020. Arab Reform Initiative. https://www.arab-reform.net/publication/sudan-managing-covid-19-pandemic-during-a-time-of-transition/ (Accessed 30 August 2020).

Availability of data on housing finance

Sudan has some key organisations that collect and share data on housing finance. These organisations are all governmental. They include the Central Bureau of Statistics, Central Bank of Sudan and the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning. Most of the data available from these organisations are national statistics depending on the area of operation. The Central Bank of Sudan releases reports with data on the exchange rate and inflation rate, on a monthly, quarterly, and semi-annual basis. This data is publicly available on the Central Bank of Sudan’s website. The last census collected was in 2009 with the data publicly available. The Central Bureau of Statistics is now archived.

Most of the data is available at irregular intervals). Furthermore, some of the data sources are archived and not easily available or only available in Arabic. Most government departments and private institutions dealing in housing finance data do not share their data online.