Sudan’s population rose to 51.7 m people in 2025.

Neither way is good in itself. A rising population can mean a larger workforce and domestic market, and it can also mean more people to feed, house and educate, so the direction carries no verdict by itself. The latest figure is 51.7 million for January 2025, up from 50.4 million a year earlier. That is a rise of 1.2 million, or 2.4%. Since 2016 the low was 41.3 million, so the latest reading is the highest in that span.

Why it matters. Each additional million people adds demand for food, water, housing, schooling and clinics across Sudan. A population of 51.7 million gives firms a large pool of customers and workers. The state has to expand services and jobs at roughly the pace of the 2.4% annual growth to keep living standards from slipping.