Sudan lifts ban on Kenyan tea imports

Friday 13th November 2026

By inAfrika Newsroom

Sudan has lifted its ban on tea imports from Kenya, reopening a market that had been closed to Kenyan tea since March 2025. The Tea Board of Kenya said the change was formalised in a Sudanese ministerial order dated 8 November.

Sudan’s industry and trade minister, Mahasin Ali Yaqoub, signed the order directing the authorities to implement the decision immediately. The Kenya News Agency reported on 11 November that the order followed approval by Sudan’s Sovereignty Council and a subsequent cabinet communication.

The decision applies to tea. Sudan had suspended imports from Kenya more broadly in March 2025, according to the Kenyan agency. The November order cited by the Tea Board concerns Kenyan tea imports.

The reopening restores a destination for Kenyan exporters that sell into Sudan. The EastAfrican’s reporting on 12 November described stocks held in Mombasa that had been blended for Sudanese buyers. The order clears the import restriction, while shipment volumes will depend on orders and deliveries.

Mombasa also hosts the regional tea auction, which trades tea from several producing countries. InAfrika’s 9 November auction report recorded a provisional average of US$2.32 per kilogram for crush, tear and curl tea during trading. That figure covers the auction and does not isolate demand from Sudan.

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