South Sudan’s trade minister has reversed a decision to suspend a controversial digital payment platform after an intervention by Vice President James Wani Igga, exposing divisions within the country’s economic leadership.
In a memorandum issued on Friday, Trade and Industry Minister Atong Kuol Manyang Juuk cancelled a 90-day administrative and technical review of the Crawford Capital Pay Digital Payment and E-Service System that she had ordered earlier this month.
The reversal followed directives from Igga, who chairs the government’s economic cluster.
“Although my decision to review Crawford Capital Pay Digital Payment and E-Service System remains unchanged, I am obliged to respect the advice of H.E. the Vice President and chair of the economic cluster,” Juuk said in the memo.
Juuk had initially ordered the review on March 5, saying it was necessary to address “critical issues” and safeguard the country’s economy.
“In the interest of South Sudan’s government and to save the Ministry of Trade and Industry as well as the economy from collapsing, I issued in good faith the 90-day administrative and technical review,” she wrote.
However, she said Igga wrote to her the following day advising her to review the directive and consult the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs.
“On the 6th of March 2026, H.E. Dr. James Wani Igga advised me to review and consult the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs opinion and pause my directives,” Juuk said.
The minister added that her decision to suspend the platform had been within her legal mandate.
“My decision to pause the operation of Crawford Capital Pay for 90 days was in line with Article 114(1) of the Transitional Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan,” she wrote.
Despite lifting the suspension, Juuk said the ministry supports digital trade reforms but stressed that they must be implemented transparently.
“It is important to reiterate that the Ministry of Trade and Industry is in support of the e-service, automation and integration into the East African Community system,” she said, adding that digitalisation must be carried out “in a systematic, transparent and accountable manner to avoid disruption of trade and institutional operations.”
The role of Crawford Capital in managing the government’s digital trade system has drawn scrutiny.
Crawford Capital operates CapitalPay, a platform used for e-government trade services. Reports say the platform is widely believed to be associated with senior figures in the country’s leadership, including Adut Salva Kiir, daughter of President Salva Kiir.
United Nations investigators have identified the company’s founders as Garang Mayom Kuoc Malek and Ruey Majok Guandong, both described as having high-level political connections.
Radio Tamazuj reported that the company also manages a mandatory Electronic Crude Oil Accreditation Permit (ECOAP) system, under which international traders pay a 0.03% fee on the value of crude oil shipments to accounts linked to Crawford before cargoes can be cleared for export.
Watchdog groups have raised concerns about the lack of a competitive tender process for the contract, warning that the arrangement could allow significant revenue to bypass the national treasury.
Despite allowing the system to resume operations, Juuk said the South Sudan Revenue Authority must provide detailed records of the platform’s transactions.
“For transparency and accountability, the South Sudan Revenue Authority should provide an account with clear details to enable the ministry to issue a circular and disseminate the use of e-service to the public,” she said.