Key facts
Key facts for business in Sudan
The short answer
Company registry in Sudan: وزارة العدل – التسجيلات التجارية. Tax authority: Sudan Taxation Chamber (ديوان الضرائب). Requirements, fees and timelines change – confirm them with the body concerned and a lawyer admitted in Sudan before you act.
| Legal system | Mixed (Islamic law + civil law, with common-law heritage) |
|---|---|
| Official languages | Arabic, English |
| Currency | Sudanese pound (SDG) |
| Regional blocs | COMESA, IGAD |
| OHADA business law | No |
| AfCFTA (continental free trade) | Not yet ratified (tralac, 7 Sep 2026) |
| New York Convention (arbitral awards) | Party – in force since 2018 |
| ICSID Convention (investment disputes) | Contracting state – in force since 1973 |
| 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 Sudan
| What for | Official body | Website |
|---|---|---|
| Registering a company | وزارة العدل – التسجيلات التجارية | moj.gov.sd |
| Tax | Sudan Taxation Chamber (ديوان الضرائب) | tax.gov.sd |
| Central bank, currency and foreign exchange | Central Bank of Sudan (CBOS) | cbos.gov.sd |
| Work and residence permits | وزارة الداخلية – الإدارة العامة للجوازات والهجرة – Ministry of Interior – General Directorate of Passports and Immigration | moi.gov.sd |
We could not confirm an official website for: investment promotion, 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: وزارة العدل – التسجيلات التجارية.
- Register for tax. Tax registration: Sudan Taxation Chamber (ديوان الضرائب).
- Check investment rules and incentives. Some sectors have licensing, local-ownership or registration rules, and some investors qualify for incentives. Investment agency: the national investment agency.
- Permits for foreign staff. Work and residence permits: وزارة الداخلية – الإدارة العامة للجوازات والهجرة.
- Banking and foreign exchange. Rules on accounts, moving money in and out and paying dividends abroad come from the central bank (Central Bank of Sudan (CBOS)) and the banks.
- Contracts and disputes. Agree the governing law, the courts or arbitration seat, and the language. Sudan is a party to the New York Convention, so arbitral awards made in other member states can be recognized there under it.
A general checklist, not legal advice. What applies to you depends on your sector, structure and nationality.
Law firms
Law firms in Sudan for business matters
Matouk Bassiouny in association with AIH Law Firm (Sudan)
Khartoum
Naseer Law Firm
Khartoum
2 firms in Sudan list corporate, tax, employment or other business work on their own websites. See every firm in Sudan.
Checking a lawyer in Sudan
We could not find an official online source for who admits lawyers in 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 Sudan: questions
Where do you register a company in Sudan?
With وزارة العدل – التسجيلات التجارية (moj.gov.sd). Requirements change, so confirm them with the registry and a lawyer admitted in Sudan.
Is Sudan a party to the New York Convention?
Yes – in force since 2018 (UNCITRAL status table, checked October 2026).
Does Sudan accept apostilles?
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 Sudan’s embassy or consulate. Confirm with the authority that will receive the document.
What currency is used in Sudan?
Sudanese pound (SDG).