Le groupe Paratus a annoncé, mi-avril 2026, la nomination de Gaëtan Soltesz au poste de directeur général de FAST Congo, sa filiale en République démocratique du Congo (RDC). L’annonce intervient alors que l’entreprise, positionnée sur le marché de la connectivité de gros, veut accélérer la commercialisation de ses infrastructures de fibre optique.

« La nomination de Gaëtan Soltesz reflète l’ambition du groupe Paratus de renforcer sa croissance commerciale, d’étendre la couverture nationale en fibre optique et de positionner FAST Congo comme un fournisseur de connectivité de gros de premier plan en Afrique centrale », affirme le groupe.

Dans ses nouvelles fonctions, Gaëtan Soltesz devra notamment renforcer les partenariats autour des infrastructures nationales de fibre optique et accélérer la commercialisation des actifs de backbone existants. « En travaillant en étroite collaboration avec les parties prenantes des secteurs public et privé, nous pouvons tirer davantage de valeur des infrastructures existantes tout en soutenant les ambitions nationales de transformation numérique », a-t-il déclaré.

Avant de rejoindre FAST Congo, Gaëtan Soltesz a dirigé Silicone Connect pendant cinq ans. Il a également passé 17 ans chez Cisco, où il a travaillé sur des projets liés aux services internet, à la diffusion de contenus en ligne et aux infrastructures de réseaux pour de grands opérateurs télécoms. Son profil est donc directement aligné avec la phase actuelle de FAST Congo : monétiser les capacités existantes et renforcer l’intégration du réseau dans l’écosystème régional.

L’actif principal de FAST Congo reste sa liaison fibre optique entre Muanda et Kinshasa. Mise en service en 2024, cette infrastructure de 620 km relie les points d’atterrissement des câbles sous-marins sur la côte congolaise à la capitale, avec une offre orientée vers les opérateurs, les fournisseurs d’accès Internet et les carriers.

Sur cette infrastructure, FAST Congo a déjà conclu un accord de capacité avec le Groupe Vivendi Africa (GVA). Cet accord permet à GVA d’accéder à une bande passante évolutive et à des installations opérées et maintenues par FAST Congo, afin de renforcer son offre Internet haut débit en RDC.

Paratus élargit aussi ses connexions régionales. En février 2026, le groupe a annoncé la mise en service d’une liaison fibre reliant Mombasa à Goma, via un réseau terrestre sécurisé, afin d’améliorer l’interconnexion entre l’Afrique de l’Est et l’est de la RDC. Cette extension complète le positionnement de FAST Congo sur la connectivité internationale et régionale.

Ronsard Luabeya

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Internet : Africell et Vodacom envisagent un partenariat avec Starlink en RDC

Le ministère du Commerce extérieur a reconduit les mesures de restriction temporaire d’importation des sacs et emballages de ciment ainsi que des sacs destinés aux minerais, communément appelés big bags, dans la partie sud-est de la République démocratique du Congo.

Selon une communication du ministère, l’arrêté a été signé le 17 avril 2026 par le ministre du Commerce extérieur, Julien Paluku. Cette décision s’inscrit dans la continuité des mesures déjà prises en 2025 pour soutenir la production locale et limiter les importations dans les zones où une offre industrielle nationale est disponible.

Le dispositif prévoit toutefois des dérogations. En cas de nécessité d’approvisionnement dans des zones où les consommateurs rencontrent des difficultés d’accès aux produits locaux, les opérateurs économiques peuvent solliciter gratuitement une autorisation d’importation auprès du ministère du Commerce extérieur.

La demande doit préciser le lieu de destination de la marchandise ainsi que le numéro du lot concerné. Elle doit également être accompagnée de la liasse documentaire validée par le Guichet unique intégral du commerce extérieur, SEGUCE-RDC, faute de quoi elle peut être rejetée.

Cette mesure bénéficie notamment aux producteurs locaux d’emballages, dont Bags & Sacks, qui dispose d’une unité de production à Lubumbashi. Lancée en 2023, cette usine fabrique des sacs destinés au ciment, aux produits agricoles ainsi que des big bags utilisés dans le secteur minier.

Selon les données communiquées par l’entreprise, l’unité de Lubumbashi dispose d’une capacité annuelle de 2 millions de big bags et de 36 millions de sacs destinés aux secteurs minier, cimentier et agricole.

Bags & Sacks avait bénéficié de l’appui financier du Fonds de promotion de l’industrie (FPI) pour son implantation dans le Haut-Katanga. L’entreprise est également en discussion avec l’institution pour un crédit complémentaire destiné à élargir sa gamme de produits et à renforcer son fonds de roulement.

Timothée Manoke

Lire aussi :

Bags & Sacks sollicite un nouveau crédit du FPI pour élargir sa production

Protection du Made in Congo : les restrictions d’importation prolongées d’un an

Emballages de ciment et minerais : le coup de pouce de l’État à Bags and Sacs

Agro-industrial company Plantations et Huileries du Congo (PHC) has announced the exit of the Congolese state from its shareholding, following a recapitalization process launched in 2025 to strengthen its operational capacity.

According to PHC, the company sought a capital increase from shareholders to support its modernization strategy. The Congolese state, a minority shareholder with a 23.8% stake, did not participate due to a lack of allocated budget from the Ministry of Portfolio.

PHC described the move as a “responsible and voluntary” decision, taken in compliance with OHADA law, the company’s bylaws and applicable governance rules.This move strengthens the position of Kuramo Capital, which has held a majority stake in PHC since 2020, previously at around 76.2%.

A shareholder since 2017, Kuramo Capital said it has supported PHC’s turnaround through investments aimed at modernizing operations and improving productivity. The investor said production has doubled over five years with only a limited increase in cultivated area, while the number of women employed has tripled.

PHC has operated in the Democratic Republic of Congo since 1911 and operates three industrial sites at Boteka, Yaligimba and Lokutu. The company controls more than 100,000 hectares of concessions, including around 30,000 hectares of oil palm plantations, and employs more than 11,000 people.

Production has remained relatively stable in recent years. After producing around 80,000 metric tons of palm oil in 2023, PHC is targeting 81,000 metric tons in 2025, with a goal of reaching 100,000 metric tons by 2026.

The company also plans to develop its own palm oil refinery to expand local processing and better serve the domestic market.

Ronsard Luabeya

La société agro-industrielle Plantations et Huileries du Congo (PHC) a annoncé le retrait de l’État congolais de son capital social, à l’issue d’un processus de recapitalisation engagé en 2025 pour renforcer ses capacités opérationnelles.

Selon PHC, l’entreprise avait sollicité une augmentation de capital auprès de ses actionnaires afin de soutenir sa stratégie de modernisation. L’État congolais, actionnaire minoritaire à hauteur de 23,8 %, n’a pas participé à l’opération, faute de crédit budgétaire prévu à cet effet par le ministère du Portefeuille.

PHC présente ce désengagement comme une décision « responsable et volontaire », prise dans le respect du droit OHADA, de ses statuts et des règles applicables en matière de gouvernance.

Cette évolution renforce la position de Kuramo Capital, déjà actionnaire majoritaire de PHC depuis 2020. Kuramo Capital détenait jusque-là environ 76,2 % du capital de l’entreprise.

Présent dans l’actionnariat depuis 2017, Kuramo Capital affirme avoir accompagné la relance de PHC à travers des investissements destinés à moderniser les opérations et à améliorer la productivité. L’investisseur indique notamment que la production de l’entreprise a doublé en cinq ans, avec une hausse limitée des superficies plantées, tandis que le nombre de femmes employées a triplé.

Présente en RDC depuis 1911, PHC exploite trois sites industriels à Boteka, Yaligimba et Lokutu. L’entreprise dispose de plus de 100 000 hectares de concessions, dont environ 30 000 hectares de plantations de palmiers à huile, et emploie plus de 11 000 personnes.

Sur le plan opérationnel, la production est restée relativement stable ces dernières années. Après environ 80 000 tonnes d’huile produites en 2023, PHC table sur 81 000 tonnes en 2025, avec un objectif de 100 000 tonnes à l’horizon 2026.

L’entreprise prévoit également de développer sa propre raffinerie d’huile de palme au cours des prochaines années, afin de renforcer la transformation locale et de mieux valoriser sa production sur le marché congolais.

Ronsard Luabeya

Lire aussi :

Huile de palme : PHC prévoit une raffinerie d’ici 2028 pour mieux valoriser sa production

China’s Zijin Mining is developing a logistics corridor to connect its Manono lithium project in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Tanganyika province to ports in Tanzania, and is nearing completion of four cargo vessels to operate on Lake Tanganyika.

Construction of the vessels was more than 95% complete as of March 2026, according to Tanzanian newspaper The Citizen. Two had been completed, a third was awaiting approval from the Tanzania Shipping Agencies Corporation (TASAC), and a fourth had just been launched and is due for completion in July 2026.

Zijin said in November 2025 it had launched the first bulk carrier in the series, Golden Voyage No. 1, describing it as a key link in a future export route between the DRC and Tanzania. Each vessel measures 70.08 meters in length and 15 meters in width, with a carrying capacity of 2,000 tons and a range of 1,000 nautical miles.

The ships were built in modular sections in China by Shandong Xinneng Shipbuilding and shipped to Tanzania for final assembly at the port of Karema. Golden Voyage Logistics, a Zijin subsidiary, applied for space at the port to launch the project in October 2023, according to The Citizen.

Multimodal logistics corridor

The fleet will primarily support the supply chain for the Manono lithium project. Output will be transported by road over roughly 440 km from Manono to Kalemie, then loaded onto vessels on Lake Tanganyika bound for Kigoma, before being moved overland to Dar es Salaam for export.

The lake operation forms part of a broader logistics strategy. In August 2025, Zijin signed a concession agreement with Tanzania to operate the port of Kigoma and the Malindi terminal at the port of Dar es Salaam, alongside a modernization program covering warehouses, storage areas and cargo-handling equipment.

On the industrial side, the Manono project is designed for an annual mining and processing capacity of five million tons of ore. The facility is expected to process 500,000 tons of spodumene concentrate to produce about 95,170 tons of crude lithium sulfate per year, with commissioning scheduled for June 30, 2026.

In this context, deploying the vessels on Lake Tanganyika is key to securing Zijin’s export corridor from eastern DRC to the Indian Ocean.

Timothée Manoke 

Carrigrès, the construction aggregates quarry owned by the TEXAF group, closed 2025 with revenue down roughly 17% to 4.2 million euros, from approximately 5 million euros in 2024. The decline came even as demand picked up in the second half of the year, which was not enough to offset weaker market conditions.

The group attributed the drop primarily to a roughly 26% fall in the average selling price of its products. That pressure hurt the unit's performance, which ended the year with a net loss of 20,000 euros, according to the group's annual results, despite a roughly 10% increase in sales volumes.

TEXAF describes the business as particularly volatile, given its dependence on construction market conditions and competition. That volatility is reflected in the unit's recent performance. In 2023, the quarry benefited from strong demand and firm prices, lifting revenue to approximately 6.29 million euros, even as volumes sold fell around 4% from 2022. In 2024, revenue then dropped roughly 19%, amid what the group described as uncertainty over public investment.

Despite the 2025 results, TEXAF said it is continuing to invest in the business. The group said in its report that it has already paid a deposit on a new screen and crusher for the quarry, aiming to improve operational performance.

The Carrigrès quarry, which the group has operated since the 1950s, has an estimated annual capacity of 600,000 tons. The group also estimates recoverable reserves at around 25 million tons. The quarry produces a range of aggregates for the construction sector, from rubble stone to crushed sand, as well as various types of gravel and chippings used in concrete, road construction and civil engineering.

The group noted, however, that part of the quarry's land is illegally occupied by squatters, a situation that could limit future expansion.

Timothée Manoke 

Paycode Fintech Congo has signed an agreement with two industry associations to lead the technical rollout of a digital microfinance platform in the Democratic Republic of Congo, under a World Bank-supported initiative known as the Transforme project.

The accord, signed on April 15, 2026, in Kinshasa, brings together the local subsidiary of Paycode, an African fintech specializing in digital payments and biometric identity, the Association nationale des institutions de microfinance (ANIMF) and the Association professionnelle des coopératives d'épargne et de crédit (Aprocec).

The agreement builds on a contract signed in February 2025 between the Transforme project and a consortium comprising Paycode Fintech Congo, Banktech Software Services Limited and Hong Kong Top Wise Communications. That contract covers the digitization of the microfinance sector and the supply of 10,000 payment terminals; financial terms were not disclosed.

Scope of the Platform

According to a statement from the Transforme project, the initiative aims to modernize microfinance institutions (MFIs) and savings and credit cooperatives (COOPECs) while integrating them into the formal financial system. The agreement mandates Paycode to handle the operational and technical implementation of an integrated platform.

The platform is expected to include a core banking system, an enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution, a card payment module and the issuance of Mosolo payment cards. The goal is to enable MFIs and COOPECs to connect to the national payment switch, a key step toward their integration into the formal financial system and the broader adoption of electronic payments.

The solution will rely on a full technology stack including servers, storage capacity, security devices and telecommunications networks. Paycode will also provide hosting, systems maintenance, user training and merchant onboarding to support local adoption of the tools.

As part of this framework, the company is developing the e-Dapt platform, designed to address the specific challenges of the Congolese market. It is expected to support bulk payment processing, batch clearing and settlement, as well as real-time offline transactions via biometric cards suited to areas with limited connectivity.

Terminal Deployment

The project also calls for the deployment of 10,000 electronic point-of-sale terminals across the DRC's 145 territories. The devices will incorporate biometric identification solutions and will be paired with multi-application cards compliant with EMV standards (Europay, Mastercard and Visa).

According to the Transforme project, the initiative is expected to improve access to financial services, formal savings and credit for small and medium-sized enterprises, particularly in trade, agriculture and services. It is also part of a national strategy to reduce cash usage in favor of electronic payments.

The DRC's financial inclusion rate has risen from 38.5% in 2022 to 50% currently, an increase largely driven by the rollout of mobile payment solutions. This trend aligns with the implementation of the National Financial Inclusion Strategy 2023-2028, adopted in July 2023, and is supported by efforts to strengthen payment infrastructure and instruments.

Ronsard Luabeya

The airport in Bunia, capital of Ituri province, has entered a new phase of operations, with its upgraded runway now able to handle larger jet aircraft, including Airbus models, authorities said.

For years, air traffic at Bunia was limited by the technical constraints of its old runway.

The upgrade was demonstrated on April 20, 2026, when Compagnie Africaine d'Aviation (CAA) landed a flight at the airport. Passengers and crew praised the improved runway, now extended and suitable for jet operations.

The work is part of a rehabilitation and modernization project launched in June 2022. It was carried out by Mont Gabaon SARLU under the supervision of the Bureau central de coordination (BCECO), at a cost of more than $48 million, according to the Finance Ministry.

The project included extending the runway to 2,500 meters, widening it, expanding the apron, and building a new terminal and control tower.

Initially scheduled for completion within 36 months, the project was delayed by technical and logistical challenges, including soil conditions and material supply issues. The airport remained operational throughout, supporting humanitarian and cargo operations.

With the upgrade complete, Bunia airport is now equipped to handle larger aircraft, which could boost passenger and freight traffic. The modernization is also expected to improve the province’s connectivity with the country’s main economic centers and strengthen its integration into the national economy.

Boaz Kabeya

French public port authority Haropa Port has signaled interest in providing technical assistance for the development of river transport along the Kisangani-Kinshasa corridor in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The possibility was discussed during a meeting held on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, when Vice Prime Minister and Transport Minister Jean-Pierre Bemba received French Ambassador to the DRC Rémi Maréchaux. Representatives from the French Development Agency (AFD) and Haropa Port also attended.

Haropa Port is a French public institution and the largest river-maritime port complex on the Seine axis, bringing together the ports of Le Havre, Rouen and Paris. It is France’s leading port and the fourth-largest in northern Europe by tonnage, with global maritime connections. The group serves a hinterland including the Seine Valley and the greater Paris region, representing a market of about 25 million people.

Internationally, Haropa Port develops partnerships focused primarily on technical cooperation and sharing port and logistics expertise. In Africa, the group has established collaborations with the Autonomous Port of Pointe-Noire in Congo and the Port of Kribi in Cameroon. These partnerships aim to improve port performance, digitalize operations and develop integrated logistics solutions.

In the case of the DRC, discussions are still at an early stage. Haropa Port’s interest is limited to technical support, and no concrete project or formal commitment has been announced.

Boaz Kabeya

The Democratic Republic of Congo's rural electrification agency signed a commercial contract on April 21, 2026, with German company Off-Grid Europe to deploy solar photovoltaic mini-grids across the country.

According to a statement from the National Agency for Rural and Peri-Urban Electrification and Energy Services (ANSER), the agreement covers a €25 million project. The first phase includes the installation of 8.5 megawatt-peak capacity, expected to benefit 27,700 households across six localities.

ANSER said the deal represents a pilot phase of a broader program aimed at electrifying 27 agglomerations nationwide. The initiative is part of the national solar mini-grid program designed to accelerate access to electricity in rural and peri-urban areas.

At this stage, the agreement with Off-Grid Europe marks a key commercial step in the project, which will still require further technical and operational planning.

Based in Germany, Off-Grid Europe says it specializes in off-grid energy solutions. Founded in 2010, it designs, installs and maintains photovoltaic systems combined with battery storage for areas not connected to the national grid.

The company reports projects in Africa, including in Senegal, and operations in Nigeria, Cameroon and Guinea focused on autonomous energy systems.

With this agreement, ANSER continues its strategy of mobilizing technical and financial partners to expand rural electrification in a country where access to electricity remains limited outside major urban centers.

Ronsard Luabeya