On CBS Governor’s Vision for Financial Inclusion: Thumbs Up

Dr Marwa Fouad Qabbani
Sudan is undergoing one of the most complex phases in its modern economic history. The war has inflicted extensive damage to infrastructure, disrupted state institutions, weakened the private sector, and directly affected the banking system. Amid these challenges, the Central Bank of Sudan stands out as one of the key institutions capable of leading the path towards economic recovery and restoring confidence in the financial system.
In this context, the vision presented by the Governor of the Central Bank of Sudan, Ms Amina Mirghani—published in English on the AFI Global platform—on financial inclusion, digital transformation, and support for excluded groups carries significant importance. It reflects a deep understanding that rebuilding the economy does not begin solely with large-scale projects, but with empowering ordinary citizens, small business owners, farmers, women, and young people to access safe and accessible financial services.
War Has Exposed the Fragility of the Financial System
The war has clearly revealed the scale of challenges facing Sudan’s banking sector. Some bank branches have gone out of service, and banking services have been disrupted across many areas. Citizens have faced difficulties accessing their savings, leading to a decline in trust in banks and an increased reliance on cash and informal transactions.
At the same time, the private sector has suffered severe blows. Thousands of small and medium-sized enterprises have been damaged, and many businesses have ceased operations due to a lack of financing, logistical constraints, and the absence of basic services.
These developments confirm that banking reform is no longer optional—it is an urgent national necessity.
Financial Inclusion Is Not a Luxury
Under normal circumstances, financial inclusion is viewed as a tool for improving banking services and expanding the customer base. In Sudan today, however, it represents a cornerstone of social and economic stability, and a means of reorganising the national economy.
When citizens have access to bank accounts or digital wallets, they can receive salaries, government support, and humanitarian aid safely and efficiently. When small businesses gain access to financing, they can resume production and create jobs. And when financial transactions move into formal channels, it becomes easier to manage liquidity, combat the parallel market, and improve macroeconomic governance.
Digital Transformation: The Fastest Path Forward
With many traditional bank branches disrupted, mobile phones have become the most practical and immediate channel for delivering financial services. Expanding mobile wallets, mobile banking, agent banking, and electronic payment systems is therefore the shortest route to restoring economic activity.
Digitising government payments—whether for salaries, subsidies, or fees—will also reduce reliance on cash, enhance transparency, and broaden participation in the formal financial system.
What Does the Central Bank Need Now?
The current phase requires a clear, prioritised plan addressing both immediate and medium-term needs.
In the short term, priorities include:
Restoring basic banking services
Ensuring liquidity
Protecting small depositors
Simplifying account opening procedures
Reactivating payment systems
In the medium term, efforts should focus on:
Assessing the condition of banks
Restructuring distressed institutions
Increasing capital adequacy
Modernising technological systems
Strengthening cybersecurity
Building a modern financial infrastructure
At the same time, targeted financing programmes must be launched to support private-sector recovery—particularly small and medium-sized enterprises and productive sectors such as agriculture, industry, transport, and services—with financing ceilings aligned with actual operating costs.
Women and Youth at the Heart of Recovery
No sustainable economic recovery can occur without empowering women and young people. These groups have the greatest potential to generate new businesses and expand economic activity, yet they are often the most excluded from financial services.
Providing low-cost accounts, microfinance programmes, and financial and digital literacy training can transform these groups into a powerful engine of post-war economic recovery.
A Historic Opportunity for Reform
Despite the severity of the crisis, major disruptions often create unique opportunities for reform. Sudan today has the chance to rebuild a financial system that is more efficient, equitable, and modern than before the war.
Rather than reverting to a traditional model based on physical branches, complex procedures, and a cash-driven economy, Sudan can leapfrog directly into a modern digital system—one that is more accessible to citizens in both urban and rural areas, and more effective in supporting development.
Final Word
Rebuilding Sudan will not be achieved through concrete, roads, and bridges alone. It also requires rebuilding trust in financial institutions, providing financing for production, and opening pathways of opportunity for citizens.
Here lies the historic role of the Central Bank of Sudan—not merely as a regulator, but as a central driver of national economic recovery.
If the battle to restore trust is won, it will pave the way for broader stability, renewed investment, and the emergence of a new Sudan—more inclusive, more resilient, and better equipped for the future.

Shortlink: https://sudanhorizon.com/?p=13280