The Business Survey fieldwork was conducted in October and November 2010, and covered all sectors in the ten state capitals in South Sudan1. The total number of businesses was 7,2092, of which 2,000 businesses were enumerated. The survey shows a business setting dominated by the wholesale and retail sector and concentrated in the capital city, Juba. Most businesses were very small, with few stakeholders and employees, very unlikely to export, and most were established very recently. Key findings include:
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More than a third of all businesses in the ten state capitals were located in Juba
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70 percent of all businesses operated in the wholesale and retail trade, with hotels and
restaurants accounting for another 14 percent of the total
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57 percent of all businesses kept a written account
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Two thirds of all businesses were founded in 2008 or later
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The total number of stakeholders was 12,635 with an average of 1.8 stakeholders per business; 72 percent of them had Sudanese citizenship
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The total number of employees was 19,614, an average of 2.7 per business. Females accounted for 23 percent of the total and 70 percent had Sudanese citizenship
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Total annual salaries were 196 million SDG and average wage per employee was 9,972 SDG
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Total annual sales were 750 million SDG, with wholesale and retail trade making up 54 percent of this
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Total annual costs (excluding salaries) amounted to 495 million SDG
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1 percent of businesses exported goods/services to outside South Sudan
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45 percent of all businesses imported goods/services from outside South Sudan. (North) Sudan and the East African community were the most important counterparts
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Total annual investments in fixed assets were 83 million SDG and total stocks had a value of 133 million SDG
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Most businesses were optimistic concerning the near future, expecting growth and increased demand for output
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Access to electricity was considered the biggest problem among businesses
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Of shocks experienced, theft was the most common
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89 percent of all businesses paid taxes, most of them on an annual basis.