Sugar Shipments for South Sudan Face Public Auction

(NAIROBI) – Kenya Revenue Authority has announced plans to auction large quantities of sugar that were destined for South Sudan after importers failed to clear the consignments within the required customs period. The public auction will run from February 9 to February 13, 2026, through the authority’s official online auction platform.

In a notice dated January 3, 2026, the tax authority said the sugar has been held at the Inland Container Depot in Nairobi under customs control. According to the notice, goods that are not entered and removed from the custody of the Customs Warehouse Keeper within 30 days are classified as abandoned under the East African Community Customs Management Act of 2004. Such goods may then be disposed of, including through public auction.

The authority stated that interested buyers will be allowed to inspect the goods at designated locations on February 6 and February 7, 2026, during normal working hours. Bidding will take place online during the auction period.

Most of the sugar listed for sale consists of Brazilian white crystal sugar and Brazilian brown sugar packed in containers of 20 feet. The consignments were imported by companies trading with South Sudan and were expected to transit through Kenya to the South Sudan market. Failure to complete customs procedures has now placed the cargo on the auction list.

Below is a summary of the main sugar consignments destined for South Sudan that will be auctioned.

Kenya Revenue Authority has also listed other goods originally destined for South Sudan that will be auctioned during the same period. These include household items, industrial equipment and commercial supplies stored at different depots. Items listed range from packaged foodstuffs, biscuits and tomato paste to solar panels, solar inverters, polypropylene ropes, electrical accessories and assorted spare parts.

Used clothing, car batteries, glass materials, machinery components and general cargo that remained unclaimed beyond the allowed customs period are also included in the auction schedule.

The auction comes at a time when South Sudan continues to rely heavily on imported food commodities through regional corridors, particularly the northern route via Kenya. Delays and disruptions along this supply chain can affect market availability and prices inside South Sudan, especially for essential goods such as sugar.

Kenya Revenue Authority said all sales will be conducted through its official online auction portal, in line with existing customs and auction regulations. Interested participants have been advised to follow the inspection and bidding guidelines provided by the authority.