Nyala, June 02 (Darfur24)
New Sudanese banknotes bearing the signature of former Central Bank Governor Jangoul have entered circulation in Nyala and other areas controlled by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), according to traders and residents, amid a prolonged cash liquidity crisis across the Darfur region.
The development comes as Darfur continues to face severe cash shortages following the disruption of banking services since the outbreak of the war. Limited access to formal banking has driven transfer fees through the Bank of Khartoum to as high as 20–25 percent in some areas.
Traders and residents in Nyala told Darfur24 that the new notes were introduced into local markets over the past month through Al-Mustaqbal Banking and Financial Services Company. They added that RSF personnel have recently begun receiving their salaries in Sudanese pounds rather than U.S. dollars for the first time since the conflict began.
According to the sources, the newly circulated 1,000- and 500-pound notes carry the signature of Jangoul, who was appointed governor of the central bank by the RSF-backed coalition government. Although the notes entered circulation recently, they are dated May 2022.
Residents said existing currency in RSF-controlled areas has become heavily worn due to prolonged circulation, particularly the 100- and 200-pound denominations, which are increasingly scarce in local markets.
The move comes amid growing monetary divisions between areas controlled by the Sudanese army and those held by the RSF. The coalition government’s prime minister previously banned the circulation of banknotes bearing the signature of the current Central Bank Governor Barai that were issued after June 2024.
The RSF had earlier prohibited the use of newly printed currency circulated in army-held areas after the war began.
Newly printed Sudanese banknotes introduced in recent months have generated controversy over their quality, with some traders and consumers reportedly reluctant to accept them in commercial transactions.