It joined British Sudan at the end of 1919 through the Gilani Agreement, signed between the Masalit Sultanate and the United Kingdom, according to which it became a territory.

This event included the deadly Geneina massacre, in which, as of 19 August 2023, thousands of civilians were killed, mainly Masalits and other non-Arab tribes.

[3] In early 2023, tensions rose between the Sudanese Armed Forces, led by the 2021 coup leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces led by Hemedti, remnants of Omar al-Bashir's Janjaweed that committed ethnic cleansing against non-Arab tribes in Darfur.

In early 2023, tensions rose between the Sudanese Armed Forces, led by the 2021 coup leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces led by Hemedti, remnants of Omar al-Bashir's Janjaweed that committed ethnic cleansing against non-Arab tribes in Darfur.

The city is characterized by the presence of many economic sources, and its economy depends on the sectors: agriculture, pastoralism, trade, and services.

In addition to this, crops such as cotton, tobacco, sorghum, sesame, millet, watermelon, hibiscus, okra and some fruits are grown, such as mango, guava, papaya and orange.

Grazing and livestock raising come in second place as economic resources in the El Geneina area, including cows, goats, and camels.

Like many regions of Sudan, a number of different tribes live in the city of El Geneina, which, by virtue of their coexistence and intermarriage, share many common customs, traditions, and popular heritage.