THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH SUDAN
NATIONAL BUREAU OF STATISTICS (NBS)
Press release
September 2015
HFSSS EXCHANGE RATE DATA FOR AUGUST 2015
The National Bureau of Statistics in collaboration with the World Bank is pleased to release further
results for the Exchange Rate Survey, which is part of the High Frequency South Sudan Survey (see
technical notes for more information). The survey uses handheld tablet computers to collect realtime data and is currently being carried out in Aweil, Juba, Rumbek, Torit, Wau and Yambio.
However, pilot data from April 2012 to October 2014 is included for Juba, Malakal, Rumbek and
Wau.
The results of the Exchange Rate Survey show the weekly average of buying price and selling price
for Aweil, Juba, Rumbek, Torit, Wau and Yambio. That is, how many SSP are required on the black
market to buy 100 USD (buying price), and how many SSP are obtained by selling 100 USD (selling
price). Daily data are available on the NBS website.
Official exchange rates are 296.23 SSP to buy 100 USD and 293.77 SSP obtained by selling 100 USD.
Figure 1: Midpoints exchange rate for states, SSP per 100 USD
Midpoints
1700
1500
1300
1100
900
700
500
2/2/2015
9/2/2015
Aweil Midpoint
Wau Midpoint
Rumbek Midpoint
Yambio Midpoint
Juba Midpoint
Torit Midpoint
In August, the price required to buy 100 USD has increased from 1372 SSP in the week beginning
August 3 to 1449 SSP in the week beginning on August 24. This means the SSP has depreciated
against the USD by 5.3%.
The selling price has increased from 1274 SSP to 1341 SSP, representing depreciation of 5% over the
same period.
Within the capital city of South Sudan, Juba, exchange rate patterns have been relatively higher
compared to Aweil, most especially towards the end of August. They are graphed below.
For more information, users are invited to visit the National Bureau of Statistics’ website,
www.ssnbs.org. At our website; users can also find market price data as part of the high frequency
South Sudan survey.
Figure 2: Daily exchange rate for Juba, SSP per 100 USD
Juba, CES
1700
1500
1300
1100
900
700
500
Mon
Mon
Mon
02Mon
09
Feb
Mon
16
Feb
Mon
23
15
Feb
Mon
02
15
Feb
Mon
09
15
Mar
Mon
16
15
Mar
Mon
23
Mar
15
Mon
30
Mar
15
Mon
06
Mar
15
Mon
13
15
Apr
Mon
20
15
Apr
Mon
27
15
Apr
Mon
04
15
Apr
Mon
11
May
15Mon
18
May
15Mon
25
May
15
Mon
01
May
15
Mon
08
15
Jun
Mon
15
15
Jun
Mon
22
15
Jun
Mon
29
15
Jun
Mon
15
06
Jun
Mon
15
13
Jul
Mon
15
20
Jul
Mon
15
27
Jul
Mon
03
15Jul
Mon
10
15
Aug
Mon
17
15
Aug
24
15
Aug
31
15
Aug
15
Aug
1515
Juba Buy
Juba Sell
Figure 3: Daily exchange rate for Aweil, SSP per 100 USD
Aweil, NBG
1700
1500
1300
1100
900
700
500
Mon
Mon
Mon
02
Mon
09
Mon
Feb
16
Mon
Feb
23
Mon
Feb
15
02
Mon
Feb
15
09
Mon
Mar
15
16
Mar
Mon
15
23
Mar
Mon
15
30
Mar
Mon
15
06
Mar
Mon
15
13
Mon
Apr
15
20
Mon
Apr
15
27
Mon
15
Apr
04
Mon
15
Apr
11
May
15
Mon
18
May
15
Mon
25
May
Mon
15
01
May
Mon
15
08
Mon
Jun
15
15
Jun
15
Mon
22
15
Jun
Mon
29
15
Jun
Mon
06
15
Jun
Mon
13
Mon
15
Jul
20
Mon
15
Jul
27
15
Mon
Jul
03
15
Mon
Jul
10
15
Mon
Aug
17
15
Aug
Mon
24
Aug
Mon
15
31
Aug
Mon
15
07
Aug
15
14
Sep
15
21
Sep
15Sep
151515
Aweil Buy
Aweil Sell
For more information, please contact:
David Chan Thiang
Director of Economic Statistics
National Bureau of Statistics
Tel: +211955213923
E-mail: davidthiangc@gmail.com
NBS website: www.ssnbs.org
Technical notes
Background information
The Exchange Rate Survey is part of the High Frequency South Sudan Survey that uses tablet
computers to collect real time data and is being carried out in Aweil, Juba, Rumbek, Torit, Wau and
Yambio from February 2015 to December 2015. The aim of the survey is to provide the Government
of South Sudan with high frequency, high quality data on social, economic and security conditions in
the country. The survey collects data on market prices, exchange rates and household welfare in
these major towns. Market prices of key food items and fuel are collected once a week, exchange
rate information is collected every day, and data on household welfare, including hunger, security
and government service delivery is collected on a monthly basis.
The exchange rate of the South Sudanese Pound (SSP) against the US dollar (USD) is one of the major
macroeconomic indicators of the economy. Though our target is the black market exchange rate, it is
still important to be used by policymakers in decision-making by comparing it with the official
exchange rate that is published by the Central Bank (Bank of South Sudan), commercial banks and
FOREX bureaus.
Enumerators only ask for prices as part of this survey; they neither buy nor sell currency.
Definitions
Exchange rate: The rate at which a country’s currency can be exchanged for another country’s
currency.
Black market exchange rate: An exchange rate for a currency that differs from the official exchange
rate set by a government.
Currency depreciation: A decline in the value of one currency relative to another currency.
Depreciation occurs when, because of a change in exchange rates; a unit of one currency buys fewer
units of another currency.
Currency appreciation: An increase in the value of one currency relative to another currency.
Appreciation occurs when, because of a change in exchange rates, a unit of one currency buys more
units of another currency.
Buying price: The rate at which an individual can buy dollars (sell pounds) from a currency trader.
Selling price: The rate at which an individual can sell dollars (buy pounds) from a currency trader.
Midpoints: The average of buy price and sell price.