A newly opened bank branch in Nyala drew large crowds, offering a rare sign of returning financial activity in South Darfur after months of disruption.
Local sources said hundreds of residents gathered outside the headquarters of Al-Mustaqbal for Banking and Financial Services Limited, which began operating last week.
The branch is the first banking venture to open in the city since the war forced commercial banks to shut down.
Residents said they arrived at dawn to open accounts, but demand quickly ran ahead of supplies, with registration forms running out and queues stretching for hours.
The bank is operating from the former Nile Bank building in Nyala’s Grand Market, which has been repurposed for the new institution.
According to people familiar with the process, registration requires an application form, a personal photograph, identity documents and the details of a relative.
One customer said he successfully opened an account, deposited 20,000 Sudanese pounds and completed internal transfers using the bank’s mobile application.
The bank currently offers individual and joint accounts, though transfers are limited to transactions between its own customers.
The launch follows a recommendation made in May by an economic conference linked to Rapid Support Forces administrations, calling for banking alternatives in controlled areas.
Commercial banks across Darfur and parts of Kordofan have remained closed since fighting erupted, leaving communities without access to formal financial services.
