On the outskirts of Brazzaville, the capital of the Republic of the Congo, a minimalist tollbooth called Lifoula is carrying out its duties. Several cars disappear into the distance as the red and white railings are raised.

This is the key entrance to the No. 1 National Highway. In an office with a pale-yellow paint job, Aubièrge is talking to her colleagues about their work. As the station manager, her role is to supervise the whole team and to improve the quality of the service. In the next two hours, Lifoula will see quite a lot of traffic, the first of two peak hours in a day.