JUBA, South Sudan –South Sudan has resumed crude oil exports through Port Sudan after weeks of disruption caused by technical failures and drone attacks that targeted key infrastructure, officials confirmed on Tuesday.
The resumption marks a critical step toward economic recovery for the oil-dependent nation, even as labor unrest threatens to undercut gains.
According to government figures, roughly 110,000 barrels per day are once again flowing through the export pipeline to Port Sudan, following urgent maintenance work and security adjustments along the transit route.
Yet, back in the capital, Juba, discontent is growing. Employees of Nilepet, the state-owned oil firm, have launched an open-ended strike, accusing the government of withholding salaries, cutting benefits, and failing to meet basic labor standards despite renewed revenue streams.
“Our salaries have been slashed by up to 70 percent, and most of us haven’t been paid in three months,” said one Nilepet engineer, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation.
“Oil is flowing again, but none of it is reaching the workers.”
The government has not commented publicly on the salary disputes, but internal memos reviewed by The All East Africa suggest budget shortfalls and delayed revenue transfers from export partners have complicated wage disbursements.
South Sudan, which gained independence from Sudan in 2011, remains heavily reliant on oil revenues—making up over 90 percent of its national income.
Most of its crude is transported through Sudan to the Red Sea, making the Port Sudan route strategically vital. Recent drone strikes attributed to armed non-state actors had severely damaged the transport infrastructure, halting exports for over three weeks.
Officials say repairs were made in coordination with Sudanese counterparts and private contractors.
“We’ve restored key systems, and shipments are back on track,” said a senior official at the Ministry of Petroleum. “But our stability depends not just on pipelines, but on people.”
Labor unions have demanded immediate government intervention, warning that the ongoing strike could escalate and disrupt other sectors.
“The return of oil exports should be good news,” said Joseph Lagu, an economist at the Juba Institute for Strategic Studies.
“But if the state continues to ignore its obligations to civil servants, the political cost could outweigh the economic benefit.”
As of Tuesday evening, striking Nilepet workers remained camped outside company headquarters in Juba, chanting slogans and displaying placards demanding
“Dignity for Labor” and “Oil Without Justice Is Theft.”
Whether the government will heed their demands—or continue to prioritize export revenues over domestic grievances—remains an open question.
