Inongo, chief town of DR Congo’s Mai-Ndombe province, is grappling with a diesel shortage that has pushed fuel prices sharply higher. The price of a liter has risen from 5,000 to 7,000 Congolese francs, an increase of about 40%, as service stations and local distributors run out of supply.

According to state media Agence congolaise de presse (ACP), Joda Imana, head of the local fuel retailers’ association, confirmed the shortage saying that the crisis has hit both the Engen station and private fuel depots in the city. The situation has worsened in recent weeks as falling water levels on Lake Mai-Ndombe have hampered navigation and disrupted fuel deliveries.

The spike comes just weeks after Economy Minister Daniel Mukoko Samba announced a reduction in fuel prices across the country’s western zone, which includes Mai-Ndombe. Gasoline prices were lowered from 2,990 to 2,690 francs per liter and diesel from 2,980 to 2,680 francs, following an appreciation of the Congolese franc against the dollar.

Landlocked and heavily reliant on its river network, Mai-Ndombe depends on diesel to power boats, transport vehicles for agricultural and forestry goods, and generators in areas without electricity. The ongoing shortage threatens to paralyze local logistics and trade across the lake and surrounding rivers.

Ronsard Luabeya