Millions in Losses for Sudanese Traders After Massive Fire at Custom Market in Juba

A massive fire broke out at Custom Market in the South Sudanese capital, Juba, on Monday evening, destroying goods worth millions of pounds and inflicting heavy losses on traders — particularly Sudanese merchants operating in one of the city’s most important commercial centres.

Trader Gamar Abdel-Khalig, one of the affected Sudanese merchants, told Ultra Sudan that the scale of the losses “exceeded all expectations,” noting that he lost goods valued in the millions. He added that the fire came at a highly difficult time for traders already struggling under severe economic pressures, and stressed that the blaze consumed the entire market while authorities “failed to extinguish it,” leading to even greater damage.

The National Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture in South Sudan stated that the fire destroyed commercial sites and shops that serve as a livelihood for hundreds of traders, workers, and their families. The Chamber described the incident as “an economic and social tragedy” affecting a broad segment of people who spent years building their businesses before they were reduced to ashes within hours. It affirmed its full solidarity with all those affected and reiterated its commitment to support traders and work with them to overcome the consequences of the disaster.

Custom Market is considered one of the most vital commercial hubs in Juba, supporting the livelihoods of thousands of families. The fire’s impact has therefore extended widely across the local community in South Sudan, a country that has long been grappling with a deep economic crisis.

Activists accused the South Sudanese government of failing to take swift action to extinguish the fire, asserting that the blaze burned for hours before firefighting teams arrived, resulting in total destruction of the market. They added that the government’s failure to provide adequate resources and equipment contributed significantly to the worsening situation.

Local media outlets reported on Tuesday morning that security authorities in Juba carried out arrests targeting several activists who protested the government’s delayed response and accused officials of allowing the fire to burn unchecked for many hours.