• Wheat flour cost jumps from 120,000 to 180,000 Congolese francs since late June.
• Kinshasa supply disruptions trigger cascading shortages in Maï-Ndombe province.
• Bakeries scale back or shut down, deepening food insecurity.

Bread has become increasingly scarce in Inongo, the capital of Maï-Ndombe province, as wheat flour prices have surged 50% since late June, local traders said on Tuesday.

A 50kg sack of flour now costs 180,000 Congolese francs ($63), up from 120,000 francs, due to supply shortages in Kinshasa, the region’s main distribution hub. “We are experiencing the domino effect of the scarcity in Kinshasa. Our warehouses have been empty for days,” said Rodrigues Mbolia, manager of Super Mima depot, according to the Congolese Press Agency.

Even before the latest spike, Inongo’s markets were under strain. Since April, staples such as cassava and fish have been in short supply amid disputes between city hall and vendors accused of speculative pricing. Authorities imposed price caps that were later relaxed—up to 50% margins to account for logistics—but the measures disrupted distribution networks.

Some producers were instructed to sell directly at markets, bypassing intermediaries and fueling tensions along the supply chain.

Bread, a staple food, has now become hard to find. Many bakeries have cut production or closed temporarily, citing lack of flour and poor profitability. The situation has worsened food insecurity in a city already grappling with inflation and falling purchasing power.

Local authorities have urged residents to remain patient while awaiting new deliveries, but no timeline or logistics plan has been announced, leaving uncertainty over when supplies will stabilise.

This article was initially published in French by Boaz Kabeya (intern)

Edited in English by Ola Schad Akinocho