Burundi to allow cement imports

The Burundi government has announced plans to allow the import of cement in a bid to get prices under control. A shortage of cement in the country due to a lack of production capacity has created a black market with prices that have been steadily rising.

Buceco Cement has been seeking a review of cement prices since 2021 due to soaring raw materials and transport costs. The company now wants to increase prices by BIF3000 (US$1.46)/bag. According to Farmers Review Africa, the official cement price in Burundi is BIF24,500, but bags of cement are retailing on the black market at BIF32,000.