South Sudan president sacks Finance Minister after only two months mid deepening economic crisis

By: ThinkBuskness Africa

South Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardit has dismissed Finance and Planning Minister Athian Diing Athian after he served just over two months in the post.

The dismissal, announced on Monday via state media, marks the eighth change in the country’s top economic position since 2020. The President reinstated Dr. Barnaba Baak Chol—who previously served in the role from August 2023 to March 2024—as the new minister.

No official reason was given for the abrupt dismissal.

The sacking comes at a time when South Sudan’s economy—which is almost entirely dependent on crude oil revenue (accounting for over 90% of government income)—is facing its most severe pressures since the 2018 peace agreement.

The ongoing conflict in neighboring Sudan has severely impacted oil exports, as South Sudan relies on Sudan’s pipeline infrastructure to bring its crude to port. The year-long shutdown of the Dar Blend pipeline (an estimated 63% of the country’s oil) triggered a sharp economic contraction in the past fiscal year.

South Sudan crude oil production plummeted  from 149,000 barrels per day in 2023 to 60,000 per day in 2024; over 50% decline in one year due to the pipeline shutdown in neighboring Sudan.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) projected a sharp -23.8% Gross Domestic Product (GDP) contraction for 2025. marking  a sixth consecutive year of GDP contraction, causing the GDP per capita to fall to nearly half its 2020 level.

Reduced foreign currency inflows from oil exports have led to a sharp depreciation of the South Sudanese Pound (SSP) against the US dollar. This, in turn, has fueled hyperinflation over 97.5% in October 2025 according to IMF projections, making essential imported goods—from food to medicine—unaffordable for the vast majority of citizens.