SWIFT/BIC codes in South Sudan

South Sudan: banks and their SWIFT/BIC codes

Our directory lists 25 banks and financial institutions in South Sudan, with 25 SWIFT/BIC codes in total. You will need such a code mostly for international transfers, and especially for payments in foreign currencies.

Each bank is listed with its own page with its main code and if there are any, branch codes. The sections below covers the structure of the codes, the cost of transfers and the checks worth doing.

Incoming international payments in South Sudan

A sender in another country needs a few details from you – incomplete details often cause delays. In practice that means: your name exactly as it appears on the account, your IBAN or account number, the SWIFT/BIC code of your bank and usually your address.

The code of your bank appears in our list but always compare it with your own bank details. It helps to include your bank’s name and city, since some payment forms ask for it.

The amount you receive is often less than what was sent. Correspondent banks can take a fee and your own bank may charge for processing, and when currencies differ, a markup on the rate comes on top. Make clear with the sender who covers the fees, especially for larger amounts.

Sending money to South Sudan for less

A bank transfer to South Sudan often costs rather more than you think. On top of a fixed fee, correspondent banks can take a cut, and when the money is converted the bank usually uses a less favourable rate than the actual market rate.

The real cost is often in the rate, not in the fee. Check the rate you are offered against the mid-market rate, the midpoint you see on financial news sites; the gap is what conversion costs you.

Specialist money transfer services frequently offer a rate near the mid-market rate and lower fees. GoldexPay compares transfer services next to each other so you can see the amount that reaches the recipient before you commit.

Why a transfer to South Sudan needs a SWIFT code

To pay into South Sudan you will usually need a SWIFT/BIC code. Without the BIC, most banks cannot send the transfer at all.

Depending on the country, accounts are identified by a local account number rather than an IBAN and sometimes a local routing or branch code. Ask the recipient which details their bank requires for incoming international payments; banks often publish instructions for this. SWIFT payments can pass through correspondent banks.

Which bank in South Sudan has the most codes?

African National Bank Limited tops the list for South Sudan when it comes to the number of SWIFT/BIC codes. The head office uses AFNASSJBXXX – the code most transfers need.

Banks differ in how many codes they register, so the count is not a ranking of size. If not the recipient asks for a branch, AFNASSJBXXX is fine for transfers to this bank.

How reliable is this list?

Have the recipient send you their bank details straight from their banking app. A wrong code may lead to delays, a returned payment or additional charges, so compare it with the list on this page.

We collect bank codes using public sources and check them regularly. Still, banks merge or retire codes. Before a payment of any size, check the BIC with the recipient. We are a comparison service for money transfers.

Fraudsters often send payment requests with changed bank details from what looks like a familiar address. A valid BIC tells you nothing about whether a request is genuine – scammers use the codes of real banks.

Recognising a SWIFT code from South Sudan

SWIFT/BIC codes use one international format: eight characters plus an optional three-character extension. First comes four letters for the bank, followed by two letters for the country and a two-character location code.

For banks in South Sudan, characters five and six show the two-letter ISO code of South Sudan – that is the quickest way to spot one. Codes with other letters in that position belong to a bank abroad.

The optional last three characters stand for a specific branch; XXX means the head office. For most transfers the head office code is fine.

Transfer times to South Sudan

How quickly a payment arrives in South Sudan depends on a few things: the currency, how many intermediary banks are involved, daily processing deadlines and differences in time zone. Public holidays in either country add extra days, because banks do not process payments on those days.

Many banks use SWIFT gpi. Each gpi transfer carries a unique reference, the UETR that banks can use to see where the money is. Save your transfer receipt until the money has arrived; a bank needs it to start a trace.