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Doing business
Doing business in South Sudan
The official bodies a foreign company, investor or professional deals with in South Sudan – linked to their own websites – plus the treaties that matter for contracts and disputes, and law firms there that list business work.
Key facts
Key facts for business in South Sudan
The short answer
Company registry in South Sudan: Business Registration Online Services (BRS) – Ministry of Justice. Tax authority: South Sudan Revenue Authority. Requirements, fees and timelines change – confirm them with the body concerned and a lawyer admitted in South Sudan before you act.
| Legal system | Mixed (common law-based statutes with customary law) |
|---|---|
| Official languages | English |
| Currency | South Sudanese pound (SSP) |
| Regional blocs | East African Community, IGAD |
| OHADA business law | No |
| AfCFTA (continental free trade) | Not yet ratified (tralac, 7 Sep 2026) |
| New York Convention (arbitral awards) | Not a party (checked October 2026) |
| ICSID Convention (investment disputes) | Contracting state – in force since 2012 |
| Apostille Convention (public documents) | Not a party – documents usually need legalization |
Treaty status from the official depositary records (UNCITRAL, ICSID, HCCH), regional blocs from their own websites, AfCFTA from tralac – checked October 2026. Not legal advice.
Official bodies
Who does what in South Sudan
| What for | Official body | Website |
|---|---|---|
| Registering a company | Business Registration Online Services (BRS) – Ministry of Justice | brs.eservices.gov.ss |
| Investment promotion | Ministry of Investment (eServices investment portal) | investment.eservices.gov.ss |
| Tax | South Sudan Revenue Authority | nra.gov.ss |
| Central bank, currency and foreign exchange | Bank of South Sudan (BoSS) | boss.gov.ss |
| Work and residence permits | Directorate of Civil Registry, Nationality, Passports and Immigration (Ministry of Interior) | immigration.eservices.gov.ss |
| Official business procedures portal | eServices Account: Government Services [South Sudan] | accounts.eservices.gov.ss |
We could not confirm an official website for: courts and justice. We only link to sites we could open and confirm as the body’s own in October 2026.
Each link was opened and checked as the body’s own website in October 2026. Links to official sites only – never to agents or look-alike sites.
Getting started
What foreign businesses usually sort out first
- Choose how you will operate. A subsidiary, a branch, a representative office, or working through a local partner or distributor. The options and their conditions are set by national company law.
- Register the business. Company registration: Business Registration Online Services (BRS) – Ministry of Justice.
- Register for tax. Tax registration: South Sudan Revenue Authority.
- Check investment rules and incentives. Some sectors have licensing, local-ownership or registration rules, and some investors qualify for incentives. Investment agency: Ministry of Investment (eServices investment portal).
- Permits for foreign staff. Work and residence permits: Directorate of Civil Registry, Nationality, Passports and Immigration (Ministry of Interior).
- Banking and foreign exchange. Rules on accounts, moving money in and out and paying dividends abroad come from the central bank (Bank of South Sudan (BoSS)) and the banks.
- Contracts and disputes. Agree the governing law, the courts or arbitration seat, and the language. South Sudan is not a party to the New York Convention – take advice on how a foreign judgment or award would be enforced.
A general checklist, not legal advice. What applies to you depends on your sector, structure and nationality.
Law firms
Law firms in South Sudan for business matters
3 firms in South Sudan list corporate, tax, employment or other business work on their own websites. See every firm in South Sudan.
Checking a lawyer in South Sudan
We could not find an official online source for who admits lawyers in South Sudan. Ask any lawyer you consider for their bar or law-society membership and admission details, and confirm them with that body or with the courts.
Questions
Doing business in South Sudan: questions
Where do you register a company in South Sudan?
With Business Registration Online Services (BRS) – Ministry of Justice (brs.eservices.gov.ss). Requirements change, so confirm them with the registry and a lawyer admitted in South Sudan.
Is South Sudan a party to the New York Convention?
No, according to the UNCITRAL status table checked October 2026.
Does South Sudan accept apostilles?
South Sudan is not a party to the Apostille Convention (HCCH status table, checked October 2026), so foreign public documents usually need legalization – typically through the issuing country’s foreign ministry and South Sudan’s embassy or consulate. Confirm with the authority that will receive the document.
What currency is used in South Sudan?
South Sudanese pound (SSP).