Yaounde: Energy minister visits filling stations, assesses availability of cooking gas, kerosene.

The minister visited more than 18 filling stations and plants across the capital. He was accompanied by close collaborators and technical teams.

The field mission followed instructions issued to operators in the sector to address shortages and improve the regularity of supplies. The minister’s visit was therefore aimed at assessing the situation on the ground and monitoring compliance with the measures prescribed to operators.

The itinerary included; TotalEnergies Odza, Neptune Messamendongo, Tradex Messamendongo, TotalEnergies MAGZI, Infotech SA/PleinGaz, Star Gaz, AfriGaz, Bota Oil MAGZI Sud, OLA Energy MAGZI, Neptune Tropicana, BOCOM Mvan, MRS Mvan, Green Oil Ekié II, Green Oil Ekié I, Jociddalo Petroleum, Tradex Bastos, TotalEnergies Boulevard Présidentiel and Tradex Mballa II.

At each stop, the minister engaged with station managers and staff on the availability of cooking gas and kerosene, supply schedules, demand pressures and the difficulties affecting distribution. 

At Tradex Messamendongo, where cooking gas had recently been restocked, staff raised concerns over the unavailability of kerosene since September 24. Instructions were immediately issued to accelerate replenishment.

At the Star Gaz filling plant, the inspection also focused on safety. Minister Eloundou Essomba specifically requested a demonstration of the water booster pump and stressed on the need for effective fire-fighting measures.

A similar focus on safety was observed at the AfriGaz filling plant, where management reported distributing about 90 tonnes of Liquified Petroleum Gas, LPG, per week against estimated demand of nearly 120 tonnes. 

The minister also examined the quality and durability of gas cylinders, the regularity of their re-testing and the availability of water for emergency response. He said increasing supply must go hand in hand with strict compliance with safety requirements.

He said the main objective of the tour was to identify the causes of shortages and locate bottlenecks in the distribution chain so that corrective action could be taken immediately.

At the end of the inspection, Minister Eloundou Essomba called on chief executives of the companies concerned to step up supplies and ensure continuity across their networks.

“There must be no more interruptions,” he said, urging suppliers to “put gas in all sales points”.

He further called for supplies to be maintained throughout the week, including Saturdays and Sundays, and for the effort to be sustained over time.

“It is not just about responding to occasional shortages, but establishing a regular availability of the product within the distribution circuit. We must work toward network saturation,” he stated.

He added that the objective is to maintain sufficient stocks at sales points, particularly in areas experiencing strong demand. The same vigilance, he stressed, applies to kerosene, with operators expected to ensure swift service whenever the product is available and to review orders and replenishment prospects where shortages persist.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3925 of Wednesday September 30, 2026