Kinshasa, October 18th, 2026 (CPA).- Strengthening the partnership between the Competition Commission (Comco) and consumer protection associations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) was the focus of discussions held on Saturday in Kinshasa, with a view to promoting the “LOBA” digital platform, according to a statement consulted by ACP on Sunday.
“The Competition Commission (Comco) held a working session on Saturday with consumer protection associations, dedicated to promoting, monitoring the operational implementation and expanding the deployment of the ‘LOBA’ digital platform, which has been available to the public since October 6th, 2026,” the Ministry in charge of National Economy said in the statement. According to the source, the meeting forms part of efforts to strengthen consumer protection in the DRC. It aimed to consolidate cooperation between Comco and consumer associations, which are key partners in publicizing the platform, raising public awareness and assisting consumers in defending their rights. “Discussions focused mainly on presenting the ‘LOBA’ platform and its features, its usefulness in consumer protection, as well as the planned deployment and public awareness program on the ground,” the source reported. Speaking on the occasion, David Mavuma, adviser in charge of competition and consumer protection at the office of Deputy Prime Minister in charge of the National Economy, Professor Daniel Mukoko, highlighted the importance of “LOBA” as a tool for bringing consumers closer to the competent authorities, particularly sectoral regulatory bodies.
He recalled that the platform’s launch by the Deputy Prime Minister marked an important step towards modernizing consumer protection mechanisms in the DRC. “‘LOBA’ is a tool made available to consumers. It pursues three main objectives: enabling consumers to know their rights, report abuses and track the progress of their complaints. Beyond these objectives, the information collected through the platform will gradually help build a major national database on complaints and abuses suffered by consumers. Analysis of this data will help identify recurring practices, better understand market dysfunctions and guide Comco’s actions towards more effective regulation and better consumer protection in the Democratic Republic of the Congo,” he explained.
The adviser in charge of competition also stressed the need for effective mobilization of consumer protection associations alongside the government, through the Ministry of National Economy and Comco, to ensure the platform’s sustained adoption, encourage public use and guarantee its long-term viability. These efforts are essential to making the platform part of consumers’ everyday practices and ensuring its lasting effectiveness. Through this working session, the Ministry of National Economy, acting through Comco, reaffirmed its commitment to promoting more effective consumer protection in the Democratic Republic of the Congo through accessible mechanisms for reporting abuses, providing information and tracking complaints. CPA/