South Sudanese man pays $77,000 and 297 cows as dowry to marry wife

South Sudanese man outbids rival with $77,000 and 297 cows to marry bride

Social media has been buzzing after reports emerged of a South Sudanese man who allegedly paid an eye-watering dowry to marry his wife.

According to a post shared by Africa Facts Zone on X, the groom reportedly secured his bride by offering a dowry worth $77,000 in cash, alongside 297 cows and several plots of land.

The lavish offer allegedly outbid another suitor who had proposed $25,000 and 158 cows, turning the marriage process into what many online described as a full-blown competition.

The story quickly went viral, with X users weighing in on the tradition and questioning how love and marriage intersect with wealth and status.

One user laughed off the situation, writing, “Lol this is the funniest thing I have seen today. I know women choose the best option available but it shouldn’t be an open competition please. It’s totally unacceptable not for someone that might che*t lol.”

Others were more sceptical about the figures and circumstances surrounding the wedding. “So to get marry in South Sudan requires gambling… Judging with this picture does this person and the wedding look like he worth $77k dollars?” one commenter asked.

Some users framed the dowry as less romantic and more transactional.

“Love is sweet, but at this point it’s starting to look like a livestock acquisition deal,” another post read.

The competitive nature of the dowry also raised eyebrows, with one user joking about how they would handle such a situation.

“I would have a friend bid too high to pump up the price if I was a lady in South Sudan, because what do you mean it’s a competition like that?” they wrote.

Others questioned how the situation even arose in the first place.

“Is it an arranged marriage? Or was she seeing two guys at the same time? I’m wondering how it turned into a competition,” one user commented.

See post below:

South Sudanese man pays a $77,000 dowry in cash along with 297 cows and plots of land to get married to his wife.

He defeated his opponent who offered $25,000 and 158 cows. pic.twitter.com/Bs7RaMkhRX

— Africa Facts Zone (@AfricaFactsZone) February 7, 2026