Several gas stations did not sell fuel this Friday morning to demand payment from the government for the loss of revenue due to the drop in the prices of these products.

Refusing to comment, the pump attendants were in place, but they did not serve motorists and other applicants.

But according to some analysts, this situation is a consequence of the government's delay in honoring its promise to pay the oil companies' shortfall after its decision, a few weeks ago, to lower the prices of petroleum products as part of the fight against the high cost of living in the DRC.

While the president of the professional group of petroleum product distributors (GPDPP), Franck Bosaert, reassured after a meeting with the Minister of Economy, Mukoko Samba, on Thursday, October 17 in Kinshasa: "We have received assurances from the Government that everything will be settled as soon as possible. And so, we are rather confident and we have always worked hand in hand with the Government. And we believe that this is not the time for both parties to abandon their promises . "

Same story for Babah Diallo, CEO of Total Energy and Vice-President of this structure, who believes that "the queue that you observed at the service stations is linked to the fact that there was a craze following this price drop on the one hand and on the other hand, other point-of-sale service stations were not selling. So there was a complication at the level of SEP delivery since there is a lot of influx, no more increase in volume. So no more increase at the level of SEP. It is about the principle of supply and demand. Now that the differences with the Congolese authorities have been ironed out, we reassure the population of a regular supply of fuel. The situation is returning to normal at the service stations."

Following an order of the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of National Economy, which came into force on Thursday, October 3, 2024, the price of a liter of fuel in the West zone fell from 3,340 to 2,990.49 Congolese francs for gasoline and that of diesel from 3,435 to 2,979.73 Congolese francs, a decrease of 13% for both products.