The price of a 25 kg bag of maize flour — the staple food in Lubumbashi — jumped from 35,000 to 60,000 Congolese francs in a single week. The sudden spike is piling pressure on households in the DRC’s second economic capital, which remains structurally dependent on Zambian imports to feed itself.
Markets across Lubumbashi recorded a sharp food price shock in the week of March 18, 2026. The 25 kg bag of maize flour, locally known as “breakfast,” leapt from 35,000 Congolese francs (CDF) to 60,000 CDF — a 71% increase in seven days. At the Congo market in the Ruashi commune, traders reported prices between 50,000 and 55,000 CDF, with peaks of 60,000 CDF recorded at depots and grocery stores across the city.
The smaller retail unit, known as the “meka,” has been equally affected. Previously selling at 3,000 to 3,500 CDF, the measure now costs between 4,500 and 5,000 CDF depending on quality. The impact on family budgets is immediate. “We have to reduce the quantity we buy each week, otherwise we won’t be able to feed the family properly,” said Fifi Mwadi, a resident encountered at the Congo market on March 18.
Zambian prices and border costs at the root
The price spike originates upstream of the DRC border. According to market sources, the price of maize flour rose in Zambia — the primary supplier for Lubumbashi — from $13 to $17 per bag. Traders say customs fees and informal charges on the Kasumbalesa–Lubumbashi corridor have added further pressure on top of that upstream increase.
Haut-Katanga’s structural dependence on Zambia for its maize supply is a long-documented vulnerability. With local production insufficient to meet demand, the bulk of the flour consumed in Lubumbashi is sourced from Zambia, leaving the country’s second-largest city exposed to every agricultural or border disruption in its southern neighbor.
Presidential scheme tested
In October 2025, a presidential initiative appeared to offer a path to stabilization. Presidential envoy Isabelle Kibassa Maliba officially launched the sale of “Papa Bonheur” flour at a subsidized price of 28,000 CDF in Lubumbashi, as part of a program to import one million tonnes of maize for the Grand Katanga region. The current spike, pushing prices back to levels not seen since the 2023 crisis, raises questions about the scheme’s durability.
As of publication, no official response from provincial authorities in Haut-Katanga has been made public. M&B is monitoring the situation.