The Role of Points of Sale in Reviving the Sudanese Economy After the War

M. M. Mohamed Al-Shater Al-Amin
The war has inflicted severe damage on the Sudanese economy, manifested in cash shortages, a collapse of confidence in paper currency due to the spread of counterfeiting and looting, and the removal of substantial amounts of cash from the formal banking system. Against this backdrop, points of sale and electronic payments have emerged as pivotal tools for reconnecting the economy with the banking system. These mechanisms help channel money back into banks, reduce transactions conducted outside official channels, and contain illicit activities, thereby helping monetary authorities restore balance and exercise control over monetary policy.
At the level of everyday commerce, electronic payment methods have become indispensable to the continuation of buying and selling. An increasing number of traders in towns and markets have resorted to refusing cash payments and requiring payment through bank transfers and applications, even after cash was injected into circulation. Despite technical interruptions affecting these applications and price discrepancies between cash and electronic payments, they have prevented a complete paralysis of the markets and maintained the flow of goods and services when cash was unavailable.
At the structural level, the widespread deployment of points of sale represents a crucial step towards achieving financial inclusion and building a productive digital economy. The electronic recording of transactions provides an accurate database on patterns of consumption and production, enhances transparency, broadens the tax base, and helps combat money laundering. It also reduces the risks of carrying and storing cash, lowers transaction costs, and opens up prospects for financing productive sectors, particularly agriculture, on which hopes are pinned during the reconstruction phase, drawing on successful experiences in neighbouring countries.
Despite these advantages, obstacles continue to limit the system’s full effectiveness. These include weak telecommunications infrastructure, the proliferation of non-integrated payment systems and the widening price gap between cash and electronic payments in some areas. Nevertheless, the overall trend confirms that electronic payment is no longer a supplementary option, but a fundamental pillar of the recovery process.
By reducing reliance on cash and consolidating banking-based transactions, points of sale can help rebuild confidence, accelerate economic growth and facilitate the transition towards a more stable and transparent economy.

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