Pressure is mounting on traders who do not comply with regulated prices in Burkina Faso. The Mobile Brigade for Economic Control and Fraud Repression (BMCRF) sealed off five businesses in Ouagadougou and the surrounding area on Thursday, September 17, 2026, for illegally raising prices. Their owners were arrested and then requisitioned for community service.
The operation targeted several retail outlets, from the Grand Market to Kamboinsin, as well as surrounding areas. Inspectors focused on both convenience stores and cement warehouses and sales outlets. The violations observed resulted in the immediate closure and sealing of the establishments involved.
This action comes as cement pricing has been subject to increased monitoring for several months. For CPJ 35, the retail price is set at 5,000 FCFA per bag, or 100,000 FCFA per ton. For CPA 45, the price can reach 115,000 FCFA per ton, according to the tariffs reiterated by the BMCRF (Central Bank of Cement Manufacturers and Traders). These prices remain regulated.
Previous inspections had already uncovered several irregularities, including unjustified price increases, failure to display prices, clandestine storage, and problems related to the weight of the bags. In April, the BMCRF reported having inspected 122 businesses in Ouagadougou and found violations at 40 of them, resulting in the seizure of 126 tons and 17 bags of cement.
The BMCRF now announces the continuation and intensification of controls. It reminds consumers that they can report any suspicious practices to the numbers 80 00 11 84, 80 00 11 85 and 80 00 11 86.
Yolande Bazié
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