weighted score 2.1 · ten dimensions
Sourcing Attractiveness Index · ten dimensions
South Sudan
Labour cost, supply base depth, logistics infrastructure, trade access, and innovation scores for South Sudan as a sourcing destination.
Labour cost competitiveness
8
Nominal wages very low but 234% inflation, 87% extreme poverty, and non-functional labour market make cost advantage theoretical only.
Supply base depth
1
No manufacturing sector. Economy entirely dependent on oil extraction and subsistence agriculture. Zero industrial supply base.
Logistics & infrastructure
1
Virtually no paved roads. No railway. Landlocked. Single oil pipeline through conflict-affected Sudan. Among the least developed infrastructure globally.
Workforce skills
2
Extremely low education attainment. Over 4 million displaced. 87% extreme poverty. Skilled labour virtually unavailable. Literacy rates among the lowest globally.
Scalability
3
No industrial base to scale. Oil production well below pre-war capacity. Any non-oil economic activity is at subsistence scale.
Ease of doing business
1
TI CPI 9/100 — joint lowest globally. Systemic corruption. Rule of law non-functional. 234% inflation. Multiple exchange rates. Among the most difficult business environments globally.
Trade access & tariffs
2
EBA eligible but no non-oil exports to speak of. EAC member in theory. Trade frameworks exist on paper but are non-functional in practice.
Sustainability baseline
1
No environmental governance. Oil production causes documented environmental damage. No climate adaptation capacity. Humanitarian crisis overwhelms any sustainability framework.
Innovation & IP
1
No R&D capacity. No patent activity. No technology sector. Innovation ecosystem is non-existent.
Quality standards
1
No functioning quality management infrastructure. No accredited testing or certification bodies. Product quality standards are non-existent outside the oil sector.
Labour & Cost Competitiveness
Labour & Cost Competitiveness
- Wage levels
- Nominal wages are extremely low but 234% inflation in FY25 erodes any cost advantage. Civil servants face 8-13 months salary arrears, indicating the government itself cannot sustain wage payments. Labour cost competitiveness is theoretical — no functioning labour market exists for manufacturing.
- Labour availability
- Population of approximately 12 million but workforce is severely constrained by conflict displacement (4M+ IDPs), lack of education infrastructure, and extreme poverty (87%). Skilled labour is virtually unavailable.
- Total cost of ownership
- Despite low nominal wages, total cost of doing business is prohibitive. Security costs, logistics through landlocked territory, unreliable power supply, and hyperinflation make South Sudan one of the most expensive operating environments in Africa.
Supply Base & Infrastructure
Supply Base & Infrastructure
- Manufacturing base
- Effectively no manufacturing sector. The economy is almost entirely dependent on oil extraction (80% of GDP) and subsistence agriculture. No industrial supply base exists.
- Infrastructure
- Among the least developed infrastructure globally. Virtually no paved roads outside Juba. No railway. Unreliable electricity — generation capacity is negligible. Telecommunications are limited.
- Oil sector
- Oil production of approximately 157,000 bpd is the only significant industrial activity. Operated primarily by Chinese and Malaysian companies. All exports via pipeline through Sudan.
Trade Access & Business Environment
Trade Access & Business Environment
- Trade access
- EBA eligible for EU market. EAC member. But non-oil exports are negligible. The country has virtually no goods to export beyond crude oil.
- Business environment
- TI CPI 2025: 9/100 — joint lowest globally with Somalia. Systemic corruption at every level. Rule of law effectively non-functional. Property rights unenforceable. Foreign investment outside oil sector is minimal.
- Currency & macro
- 234% inflation in FY25. South Sudanese Pound has collapsed in value. Multiple exchange rates (official vs. parallel market). Macroeconomic environment is non-functional for commercial operations.