Central Bank of Sudan

What Central Bank of Sudan does

The Central Bank of Sudan (CBOS) is the state-owned monetary authority of the Republic of Sudan, established in 1959 and headquartered in Port Sudan, operating under the Central Bank of Sudan Law of 2002. It formulates and implements monetary policy, issues and manages national currency (with dedicated printing presses operational since 1992 and a minting company since 1960), regulates and supervises Sudan's 37 commercial banks and 21 authorized exchange bureaus, manages foreign exchange policy, and oversees national payment systems infrastructure. CBOS is notable for being among the first jurisdictions to comprehensively implement Islamic banking across its financial system, with a dedicated Sharia Supervision function. Its distribution footprint includes 17 branches across Sudan, with an additional branch under establishment in Al Fola, plus a 24-department head office structure led by Governor Amna Mirgani Hassan Altoum (appointed October 2025).

As a sovereign monetary authority rather than a commercial enterprise, CBOS does not generate revenue through market sales; it is funded by the Government of Sudan. Its customer base is institutional rather than transactional: licensed commercial banks, Islamic financial institutions, foreign exchange bureaus, and government entities. Its distribution channels are the cbos.gov.sd bilingual website, a 17-branch physical network, 21 authorized exchange bureaus acting as resellers for foreign exchange, and engagement via the COMESA Central Bank Governors Committee, IMF, World Bank, AfDB, IsDB, and AFREXIMBANK. Core technology investments center on the National Instant Payment System (NIPS), a 2026 tendered initiative to enable real-time interbank payments, alongside banking supervision and regulatory technology platforms. The bank publishes annual reports, economic and financial statistics reviews, foreign trade digests, and a research series.

Name

Central Bank of Sudan

Legal name

Central Bank of Sudan (بنك السودان المركزي)

Website

https://cbos.gov.sd

Company type

Private

Founded year

1959

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

The Central Bank of Sudan (CBOS) is Sudan's state-owned monetary authority, established in 1959 and headquartered in Port Sudan. It issues currency, sets monetary policy, and regulates the country's 37 commercial banks and 21 exchange bureaus through a 17-branch national network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Central Banking

NAICS

Monetary Authorities-Central Bank (521110), Public Finance Activities (921130)

SIC

Functions Related To Depository Banking, Nec (6099)

akta.pro primary industry

Islamic Treasury, Liquidity & Interbank (Commodity Murabaha, Sukuk Liquidity) (FSABAGAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Islamic Transaction Banking (Cash Management & Treasury Services) (FSABAGAF), Treasury & Cash Management (BPAIAEAB)

Keywords

• Central banking services
• Monetary policy management
• Currency issuance operations
• Banking supervision regulation
• Payment systems infrastructure

Headquarters

HQ city

Khartoum

HQ country

Sudan

HQ region

Africa

Offices18 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Central Bank of Sudan functions as the nation's central monetary authority, issuing and managing national currency (Sudanese pounds in paper and coin form), formulating and implementing monetary policy, supervising and regulating commercial banks and financial institutions, operating national payment system infrastructure (including the planned National Instant Payment System), enforcing Sharia-compliant Islamic banking standards, managing foreign exchange reserves and policy, and promoting financial inclusion across Sudan.

Product overview

Central Bank of Sudan operates as the country's central monetary authority offering a comprehensive suite of financial services and products. The core offerings include currency issuance and management (Sudan has its own currency printing and minting facilities), national payment systems infrastructure (including the National Instant Payment System), banking supervision and regulation, Islamic banking products compliant with Sharia principles, foreign exchange management, and financial inclusion initiatives. Additionally, the bank publishes various economic and financial research publications including annual reports, statistical digests, and research series.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Currency Issuance and Management Issuance and management of national currencies including paper money and coins, produced through owned minting and printing facilities. Sudan's central bank is one of the leading countries in the region for currency issuance with end-to-end production capability.
• National Instant Payment System (NIPS) National instant payment system infrastructure for real-time payments across the Sudanese banking sector. The system will enable real-time inter-bank payments with CBOS providing hardware infrastructure and software being developed through a public tender process.
• Banking Supervision Services Regulatory oversight, prudential supervision, and licensing of banks and financial institutions operating in Sudan. Covers 37 commercial banks and 21 authorized exchange bureaus under a dedicated Banking Supervision Department.
• Islamic Banking Products Sharia-compliant banking products and services under Islamic finance principles, with a dedicated Sharia Supervision function ensuring Sharia compliance across Sudan's banking system.
• Foreign Exchange Management Services Management of foreign exchange reserves, foreign exchange dealing regulation, and exchange rate policy. Oversees 21 authorized exchange bureaus operating in Sudan under CBOS authorization.

Quantifiable outcome

• 37 commercial banks regulated and supervised
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers19 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• International Monetary Fund (IMF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1959Sudan joined the IMF in 1959. The IMF supports Sudan's economic reform programs, provides technical assistance, and conducts surveillance of the Sudanese economy. CBOS serves as the focal point for IMF relations.
• World Bank GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe World Bank Group (IBRD, IDA, IFC, MIGA, ICSID) provides development financing and technical assistance to Sudan. CBOS coordinates World Bank programs related to the financial sector.
• African Development Bank GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe African Development Bank Group (AfDB) has been operating in Sudan since 1971, providing loans and grants for rural development, capacity building, and disease control. CBOS serves as the focal point for AfDB relations.
• Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSudan joined COMESA in 1995. CBOS participates in the COMESA Central Bank Governors Committee and supports regional integration efforts including the planned monetary union by 2025.
• World Trade Organization (WTO)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSudan submitted its WTO accession application in 1994 and has reached the final three stages of candidacy. CBOS provides technical input on financial services commitments.
• Union of Arab African Credit for AgricultureminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional union focused on agricultural credit cooperation in the Near East and North Africa region.
• East African Community (EAC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional intergovernmental organization. CBOS maintains technical relations for regional integration purposes.
• NEPAD InitiativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAfrican Union development initiative. CBOS participates in NEPAD programs relevant to financial sector development.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Bank of Algeria: North African central bank with comparable Arabic/French operations, Islamic finance oversight responsibilities, and Arab Monetary Fund membership creating shared regional monetary cooperation frameworks.
• Bank of Uganda: East African central bank sharing COMESA membership with Sudan. Comparable in payment system modernization efforts (e.g., Uganda's NPS) and regional monetary cooperation frameworks.
• Bank Al-Maghrib (Morocco): North African central bank with active Arab Monetary Fund cooperation, Islamic finance window development, and currency management expertise that parallels CBOS's regional mandates.
• Central Bank of Kenya: East African regional hub central bank with advanced mobile/instant payment infrastructure. Kenya's M-Pesa ecosystem provides a peer benchmark CBOS may reference for NIPS design.

Broad incumbents

• Central Bank of Egypt: North African regional central bank with substantially larger scale, sharing Arabic-language operations and Middle East/Africa macroeconomic linkages. Comparable in mandate but materially larger balance sheet and institutional capacity.
• Central Bank of Nigeria: Africa's largest central bank by certain metrics, sharing similar African emerging-market monetary policy challenges, Islamic banking regulatory frameworks (in some jurisdictions), and payment system modernization priorities.
• Saudi Central Bank (SAMA): Gulf central bank with deep Islamic finance regulatory expertise and active currency management. SAMA's relationship with IsDB aligns with CBOS's Islamic finance cooperation model.

Direct peers

• National Bank of Ethiopia: Horn of Africa central bank operating in a similarly large, predominantly Muslim economy undergoing financial sector liberalization, with comparable recent currency reform initiatives and modernization priorities.
• Central Bank of Libya: Arab North African central bank operating in a politically fragmented, conflict-affected environment with comparable challenges to monetary authority continuity, dual-currency pressures, and institutional disruption.
• Bank of South Sudan: Sovereign central bank of South Sudan, operating in a similarly fragile, conflict-affected context with comparable mandate of monetary policy, currency issuance, and banking supervision in a sanctions-exposed jurisdiction.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookweb.facebook.com/CentralBankOfSudan/?_rdc=1&_rdr
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/central-bank-of-sudan

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles21 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Central Bank of Sudan