Kenyan tea exporters are set to regain access to the Sudanese market after Sudan lifted a trade ban in place for 20 months, according to a report published on 12 November 2026.
The restrictions had disrupted shipments and left billions of shillings worth of tea stranded, closing off one of Kenya’s key regional buyers.
Sudan imposed the ban in March 2025, following diplomatic tensions after Kenya hosted the paramilitary RSF leader Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo and other Sudanese political groups in Nairobi.
The reopening followed diplomatic engagements between President William Ruto and Sudanese Prime Minister Camille Idris on the sidelines of a COMESA Summit. The date and location of that summit were not specified.
The impact on Kenya’s tea trade was significant. In 2023, Kenya exported 15.9 million kilogrammes of tea to Sudan, worth Ksh3.8 billion. By 2025, volumes had dropped to 6.8 million kilogrammes valued at Ksh1.5 billion.
As of August 2026, more than 3.4 million kilogrammes of Kenyan tea, valued at over Ksh1.34 billion, remained in warehouses in Mombasa. The stocks proved difficult to redirect to other international markets.
The ban also drew political attention. On Thursday, 6 August 2026, Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka visited the Embassy of the Republic of Sudan in Nairobi to present Kenya’s plea for the ban to be lifted. He warned of heavy losses, saying the ban had dealt a severe blow to Kenya’s tea industry.
Musyoka said the products could not easily be redirected, resulting in mounting losses, lower auction prices and reduced earnings for farmers. He stated that restoring access to the Sudanese market would protect livelihoods, support farmers and preserve economic ties.
The exact date the ban was lifted has not been specified. The government has not issued a statement on the development, and it remains unclear when shipments will resume.
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