Kenyan traders tap into booming south Sudan market

Development workers are a prominent fixture in southern Sudan.

The fleets of four-wheel-drive vehicles belonging to various international humanitarian organisations tell it all.

ALS currently flies to Rumbek, another town in south Sudan, but now considers Juba to be more profitable.

Reacting to increased level of competition and growth in demand, Jetlink which commands about 65 per cent of the route has increased its flight frequency to two per day.

Now operating both morning and evenings with a 50-seater aircraft, Jetlink links connecting passengers from other parts of the world and provides a quick connection for local businessmen and women to move seamlessly between the two cities.

Jetlink cannot afford to sit on its laurels, though, because East African Safaris harbours ambitions of dethroning it.

The company has plans to increase flight frequency also.

It currently flies to Juba once a day, seven days a week on 80-seater planes.

“Nairobi-Juba is a very lucrative route because of the massive interest from businesses as south Sudan fast opening up as a lucrative market,” said Emily Murgor, travel consultant, Marsland Aviation.

However, not all players are rejoicing. Fly540 was elbowed out of the route this year due to stiff competition after a year in operation.

Africa Express also says the route is not commercially viable at present but adds that it has plans to increase the frequency of its flights once passenger numbers pick up.

The 90-minute route is dominated by business people and humanitarian personnel. Cargo accounts for almost 75 per cent of the total business on the Nairobi-Juba route.

Astral Aviation cargo airline which has interline agreements with Kenya Airways, Martinair Cargo, Virgin Atlantic, Allied Airlines, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, British Airways and Air Mauritius ships between 30-50 tonnes of goods weekly between Nairobi and Juba. This however, represents a drastic drop from the 75 tonnes a week it ferried five years ago.

“We had a monopoly in the cargo business then. Now competition is fierce since passenger flights are also in our turf,” said Charles Simiyu South Sudan Manager, Astral Aviation.

According to Mr Simiyu, business to Juba accounts for 50 per cent of its total revenues on its Intra-African network with the other 50 destinations to which it has operations bringing in the remaining 50 per cent.