• Matadi and Muanda set to house the new buildings

• Chinese company CCECC inspects sites as part of project preparations.

• Provinces across the DRC are allocating land to host fairs, exhibitions, and economic events.

As part of efforts to revive trade fairs in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), new modern infrastructures are planned in Matadi and Muanda, in Kongo Central province.

On August 19, 2025, a delegation from the Chinese company Chongqing Civil Engineering Construction Cooperation (CCECC) visited the sites. The mission, led by the provincial Minister of Tourism and representatives of the Foire Internationale du Congo-Kinshasa (FICKIN), was welcomed by Vice-Governor Prospère Ntela Ntambidila.

According to the governorate's communication unit, discussions focused on project presentations, feasibility studies, and the monitoring of administrative and land procedures. The director of the provincial fair, Hypollite Mukunde, said the vice-governor had provided recommendations to accelerate the process, aiming to boost the tourist and commercial appeal of Kongo Central.

This initiative aligns with the strategy of the Ministry of Foreign Trade, which asked provinces to set aside land for fairground infrastructures. Kongo Central has allocated 50 hectares, split between Matadi and Muanda.

Other provinces are also contributing: Maniema with 100 hectares, Lualaba with 50 hectares, while Tshopo is still finalizing its allocation. These areas will host fairs, exhibitions, and other economic events to showcase local and regional potential.

Ronsard Luabeya

• The Strategic Investment Fund (FIS-RDC) is the name of the new entity

• It covers primarily infrastructure, energy, agriculture, technology, among others

• Two other state financial institutions are also in the works

The Congolese government has approved the creation of the Strategic Investment Fund of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FIS-RDC). The draft decree, presented by Finance Minister Doudou Fwamba at the Council of Ministers on August 15, 2025, marks a major step toward setting up a long-discussed sovereign wealth fund.

Several steps still lie ahead — the appointment of directors, operational arrangements and the official launch — and no timeline has yet been announced. But the government has outlined its ambitions clearly.

According to the Council minutes, the FIS-RDC will be tasked with mobilizing and structuring financing to speed up the national development strategy. Its mission also includes boosting territorial inclusion, diversifying the economy and reinforcing national sovereignty.

To do so, the fund will turn to modern financing tools that go beyond traditional loans and grants. It will be allowed to invest in strategic areas ranging from infrastructure, energy and technology to agriculture, real estate and industry. The FIS-RDC will also be charged with managing state assets and forging partnerships with private and institutional investors, both domestic and foreign. All operations, the government stressed, must follow strict transparency, environmental and social standards.

This new fund is part of a wider effort to reshape Congo’s financial architecture. In July, the government also unveiled plans for a Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations (CDC) and a Banque de Développement, a future CDC subsidiary with $150 million in capital. The bank is expected to channel long-term financing into priority projects, reducing dependence on external borrowing and strengthening the country’s financial resilience.

Boaz Kabeya

• Fuel supply to CAR discussed between Congolese and Central African ministers.

• Electoral operations expected to increase consumption, while current stock levels are deemed insufficient.

• Kinshasa requested to support logistics, especially river transport via SEP Congo.

The Central African Minister for Energy Development and Hydraulic Resources, Arthur Bertrand Piri, visited Kinshasa on August 19, 2025, to meet his Congolese counterpart, Acacias Bandubula. Discussions focused on the supply of petroleum products to the Central African Republic (CAR).

Minister Piri highlighted that several upcoming elections would drive an increase in fuel consumption. In addition to regular needs, electoral operations—including deployment of equipment, logistics, and security—would add to demand. Current stock levels were described as “insignificant” by Central African authorities.

"Usually, from June onwards, the barges start to go up. But this year, real rains only started at the end of July. So it wasn't until the beginning of August that we began the upturns, timidly. This put us two months behind schedule, which affected the national stock," explained Minister Piri.

About 80% of CAR’s official fuel consumption passes through the DRC and is transported by river, a route roughly half the cost of road transport. However, this corridor is available only from July to December each year.

To address this logistical gap, Bangui requested support from Kinshasa, particularly for operational coordination. SEP Congo (Services des entreprises pétrolières congolaises) manages unloading tankers at the port of Ango-Ango in Matadi, transfers fuel by pipeline to Kinshasa, and transports it by river to CAR.

On the same day, the Congolese Minister of Hydrocarbons met with the professional committee of petroleum product importers to examine the situation. He issued instructions to facilitate the transit of petroleum products destined for CAR.

Ronsard Luabeya

• Project first announced in August 2024

• Project includes terminal building, control tower, new 2,200-metre runway, and technical facilities.

• Flights will be temporarily redirected to Tshiumbe airfield during construction.

After more than a year of anticipation, modernization work at Lodja airport in Sankuru province is finally set to begin. The announcement was made on August 14, 2024, by Eddy Shungu, Provincial Director of the Congolese Agency for Major Works (ACGT), during the reception of the first shipment of equipment for the site.

The initial delivery included drums of fuel, bags of cement, and a loader shovel, with other equipment for the development of Lumumba-ville also received. A second batch is already stored in Bena Dibele and Kinshasa, ready for future rotations, while the remainder will arrive progressively as the project advances.

The modernization project, officially launched in December 2023, is being carried out by the Congolese company Adi Construct under the Sino-Congolese cooperation program. Its duration is estimated at two years, though investment figures have not been disclosed.

Plans include a new terminal building, control tower, and a runway extended from 1,600 to 2,200 metres and widened to 30 metres, paved with hydraulic concrete. Access ramps and a technical block will also be constructed, allowing the airport to accommodate wide-body aircraft, including Airbus A320s. During construction, flights will be rerouted to Tshiumbe, the third-largest town in the province.

Supervision will be provided by the ACGT, in collaboration with the Agence de pilotage, de coordination et de suivi des conventions entre la RDC et ses partenaires privés.

This modernization aims to open up Sankuru province, improving trade and mobility between Lodja and major cities such as Kinshasa, Mbuji-Mayi, Goma, Bukavu, and Kisangani.

Ronsard Luabeya

• Net Profits in H1 stands at 9.1 billion KES (71.4 million USD).

• The Congolese subsidiary now the second-largest contributor to Equity Group earnings.

• Loan portfolio rises 13% to 275.4 billion KES (2.16 billion USD); shareholder equity grows 28% to 82.6 billion KES (648 million USD).

Equity BCDC, the Congolese subsidiary of Kenya-based Equity Group Holdings, recorded a net profit of 9.1 billion Kenyan shillings (71.4 million USD) in the first half of 2025, a 22% increase over the same period in 2024.

The figures highlight the strength of Equity BCDC, now the second-largest contributor to Group earnings after Equity Bank Kenya, accounting for 26.3% of total profits (34.6 billion KES). The Kenyan subsidiary remains the largest contributor at 56.4%, while other regional units and the insurance arm showed mixed results.

Equity BCDC continues to expand its lending operations, with a portfolio rising 13% to 275.4 billion KES (2.16 billion USD), making it the largest regional subsidiary in loan volume, representing 33.4% of the Group’s total.

The Congolese subsidiary is also strengthening its financial stability. Shareholders’ equity increased 28% to 82.6 billion KES (648 million USD), reinforcing confidence despite occasional internal social tensions in the DRC.

Timothée Manoke (intern)

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Après la signature de leur contrat en avril dernier avec la République démocratique du Congo (RDC), le consortium Jintai Mining PTE Ltd et Tembo Majengo Company SARL a lancé les travaux préparatoires du futur port industriel de Kalemie. Sur un site de 40 hectares situé dans le village de Mutowa, à une trentaine de kilomètres de Kalemie, les équipes ont entamé l’installation d’une base-vie destinée à loger le personnel et à accueillir les équipements techniques nécessaires au chantier.

Le 15 août 2025, le gouverneur du Tanganyika, Christian Kitungwa, a accompagné une délégation du ministère national des Transports pour une inspection du site. Il a assuré que toutes les dispositions ont été prises pour garantir la bonne exécution des travaux, avec un suivi quotidien jusqu’à la livraison de l’infrastructure.

Selon le gouverneur, ce projet s’inscrit dans la stratégie de développement provincial fondée sur une approche multimodale, adaptée aux besoins de la province. La cellule de communication du gouvernorat précise que le projet inclut également la construction de terminaux pétroliers, de centres commerciaux et d’autres équipements connexes.

La première phase des travaux, dont la livraison est prévue pour fin 2026, représente un investissement de 70 millions de dollars américains. Une fois la seconde phase terminée, le nouveau port devrait être en mesure de traiter jusqu’à 2 millions de tonnes de marchandises par an. L’objectif est de renforcer l’économie du Tanganyika et de faciliter les échanges commerciaux entre la RDC et la Tanzanie à travers le corridor central.

Actuellement, le port de Kalemie, installé sur le lac Tanganyika, assure les liaisons entre la RDC et les ports de Bujumbura (Burundi), Mpulungu (Zambie) et Kigoma (Tanzanie), participant à l’approvisionnement de l’est du pays. D’après les données du service maritime de Kalemie consultées par RFI en 2021, les volumes d’importation atteignaient près de 60 000 tonnes par an, contre seulement 2 400 tonnes pour les exportations de coltan.

Ronsard Luabeya

Lire aussi :

Ville nouvelle de Kalemie : l’égyptien Mahmoud Samih manifeste son intérêt pour le projet

Modernisation du port de Kalemie : un nouveau partenariat public-privé signé

Backed by the Texaf Group, Silikin Village has, in just five years, become a key player in Kinshasa’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, offering 9,500 m² of fully equipped and connected workspaces. In this interview, its Executive Director in charge of innovation programs discusses the project’s strategic vision, support mechanisms, accessibility challenges, and the regional ambitions of this Congolese innovation hub.

Bankable: Silikin Village presents itself as a hub for entrepreneurship and innovation. In concrete terms, what kind of support do you offer to start-ups and project leaders?

Cécilia Bituka: Silikin Village offers comprehensive and structured support tailored to meet the needs of entrepreneurs at various stages of development. Initially, our focus was on projects in the ideation and structuring phase. Today, we have broadened our approach to also support more mature entrepreneurs who want to strengthen their market presence and access financing solutions tailored to their specific needs. A concrete example is the “Grow & Help Grow” program, a hybrid acceleration initiative combining start-up studio and accelerator models. It is specifically aimed at tech entrepreneurs and focuses on five key sectors: fintech, agritech, cleantech, edtech, and healthtech. The first cohort, made up of five entrepreneurs, will benefit from the program over nine months, with the aim of driving market growth and investment readiness.

Since its inception, Silikin Village has received support from both public and private donors, enabling the creation of modern, connected spaces that foster innovation for over 300 project leaders and entrepreneurs supported over the past five years.

As a structure dedicated to supporting entrepreneurship and innovation (SAEI), Silikin Village is not limited to start-up support. We also provide innovation consulting services to large corporations seeking to reinvent their approach to research and development (R&D) and actively contribute to building an innovative ecosystem in their sector. This dual commitment positions Silikin Village as a true innovation catalyst, co-creating sustainable solutions and energizing Kinshasa’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Bankable: To date, how much have you invested in this support, and what concrete results have you achieved?

CB: Silikin Village was founded in 2020 through the vision of a private group, Texaf, which opted from the outset for a co-construction approach. Their first major investment was the rehabilitation of the Cotex site, covering nearly 3.2 hectares, part of which was dedicated to hosting entrepreneurial ecosystem players. Since the beginning, Silikin Village has benefited from the support of public and private donors, enabling the creation of modern, connected spaces conducive to innovation for more than 300 project leaders and entrepreneurs over the past five years.

Bankable: At the end of the first quarter of 2025, Texaf’s rental income stood at €7.7 million, up 29% year-on-year, notably thanks to the opening of phase III of Silikin Village. Beyond the economic impact, is Silikin also a profitable investment for the group?

CB: Texaf Digital, through Silikin Village, has been profitable since 2025, albeit at a modest level compared to other historical activities of the group, such as Carrigres or Utexafrica, which continue to generate most of our financial results. That said, Silikin should not be evaluated solely from the perspective of immediate profitability.

Silikin Village is, above all, a long-term strategic investment. It embodies our vision of sustainable and inclusive economic development centered on local innovation and entrepreneurship. The steady growth in its revenues—driven in particular by the opening of phase III—confirms the growing demand for this type of high-end infrastructure in Kinshasa. We are confident in its continued growth, both in terms of impact and financial viability.

Bankable: Some project leaders consider your coworking spaces not very accessible. How do you reconcile the promotion of innovation with the demands of profitability?

CB: This is indeed a legitimate concern, especially in a context where many entrepreneurs launch their businesses with limited resources. It is precisely to address this reality that we designed a flexible and scalable offer at Silikin Village, able to adapt to the diverse needs of our ecosystem. We offer three workspace formats tailored to each stage of the entrepreneurial journey: an open coworking space at $150/month (VAT included), fully equipped (premium furniture, air conditioning, high-speed internet, cleaning services, printer, security), ideal for freelancers or small teams looking for a dynamic, collaborative environment; partitioned spaces offering a quieter environment for professionals who need more focus while staying connected to the community; and private offices designed for start-ups in their growth phase or organizations requiring confidentiality and stability.

Profitability remains essential to the sustainability of our initiative, but it is in no way contradictory to our mission: to create an inclusive, sustainable space that serves innovation and supports both Congolese and international entrepreneurs in their development.

To lower access barriers, we have also introduced a $10/day discovery offer. This allows freelancers, the curious, or project leaders to test the Silikin Village experience without commitment, fostering openness and democratization. Beyond the physical space, the true strength of our ecosystem lies in access to a genuine community of entrepreneurs, mentors, experts, and innovators. This relational capital, often decisive in a project’s early stages, is one of the pillars of our support.

Bankable: The goal was to expand Silikin Village to nearly 9,000 m² of workspaces by the end of 2024. Where do you stand in achieving this goal

CB: This goal has not only been met but exceeded! In 2020, we started with a 700 m² campus, and today Silikin Village offers 9,500 m² of connected, well-equipped workspaces. This development has allowed us to host more than 193 SMEs and start-ups and 840 active members in our ecosystem, who benefit daily from our modern infrastructure. This expansion was made possible by solid strategic planning and collaboration with both local and international partners.

Bankable: Silikin Village has supported discussions around the Startup Act and the creation of economic zones dedicated to innovation. On May 23, 2025, the government adopted four decrees specifying the application modalities of this ordinance-law promoting entrepreneurship and start-ups. What concrete changes do these new texts bring to your current dynamic, and what role do you see for yourselves in their implementation

CB: The Startup Act decrees provide a structured legal framework conducive to innovation and entrepreneurship. They open new opportunities for start-ups and strengthen private initiatives like ours. Silikin Village, as a key player in this ecosystem, plays a central role in implementing these texts. We act as a facilitator, trainer, and spokesperson, supported by our involvement in the Private Sector Collective for the Application of the Startup Act (COSEP).

We aim to position Silikin Village not only as a center of excellence for entrepreneurial innovation in the DRC but also as a key player in the Central African sub-region.

We are particularly well-placed to support start-ups in maximizing the opportunities offered by this legislative framework. This includes concrete actions in awareness-raising, training, and direct support to entrepreneurs, to ensure their success and foster the growth of entrepreneurship in the DRC.

Bankable: What are your future ambitions in promoting entrepreneurship and innovation? And what concrete projects support these ambitions?

CB: We aim to position Silikin Village not only as a center of excellence for entrepreneurial innovation in the DRC but also as a key player in the Central African sub-region. Our ambition is to create a dynamic ecosystem where start-ups, large companies, and public actors work closely together to stimulate innovation and encourage sustainable development.

Our future projects include: expanding our support offers for local entrepreneurs through programs such as “Grow & Help Grow” to support more start-ups in their growth and investment access journey; launching the “Scaling Up in DRC” program, a strategic project to enhance the maturity of the entrepreneurial ecosystem by attracting and supporting African and international scale-ups in the DRC; strengthening our collaboration with public and private institutions to create a favorable environment for innovation, particularly through the establishment of economic zones dedicated to innovation and facilitating synergies between sector players; and producing key data on our ecosystem to better understand its realities and challenges. These data will help demystify the complexity of our ecosystem and encourage greater investment and development opportunities.

These initiatives support our ambition to build a strong and sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystem capable of meeting long-term innovation challenges and playing a major role in the emergence of the DRC and Central Africa as innovation hubs in Africa.

Interview by Aboudi Ottou

La directrice générale adjointe de la Société nationale d’électricité (SNEL SA), Bienvenue Munyango, a effectué le 16 août 2025 une visite de terrain sur les sites concernés par le projet de modernisation du réseau électrique dans la partie nord de Kinshasa. À cette occasion, il a été confirmé que le projet coûtera 46,4 millions de dollars et que les travaux s'étendront sur une période de 16 mois, avec une livraison prévue d’ici la fin de 2026.

Attribués à l’entreprise chinoise CHINT Electric, par un contrat signé avec la SNEL le 24 avril dernier, les travaux visent à réhabiliter les réseaux des communes de Barumbu, Gombe, Kasa-Vubu, Kinshasa et Lingwala, où les infrastructures sont jugées vétustes.

Lors de la visite, CHINT Electric a annoncé l’importation de plus de 300 conteneurs d’équipements, incluant des transformateurs de puissance allant jusqu’à 130 MVA, des cellules moyenne et basse tension, des câbles à haute capacité, ainsi que 25 000 compteurs intelligents à prépaiement. Ces derniers permettront aux clients de passer à une facturation basée sur la consommation réelle, dans le cadre de la digitalisation des services de la SNEL et de l’amélioration de la gestion des recettes.

Le projet prévoit aussi l’installation d’un transformateur 220/20 kV de 100/130 MVA au poste HT d’Utexco, la pose de 67 km de nouvelles liaisons 30 kV entre sous-stations, la modernisation complète des postes de Sendwe, Ndolo et VDP, ainsi que la réhabilitation de 204 cabines électriques existantes.

Ce chantier constitue une composante du projet PEGASE, qui bénéficie depuis 2017 d’un prêt de 135 millions de dollars de la Banque africaine de développement (BAD). Sa mise en œuvre a toutefois connu des retards, en raison de lenteurs dans les procédures d’acquisition, comme l’indiquait un rapport d’évaluation de janvier 2024.

Selon le directeur général de la SNEL, Fabrice Lusinde, la modernisation sera progressivement étendue à l’ensemble de Kinshasa. Dans ce cadre, la SNEL a obtenu un financement non remboursable de 27 millions de dollars accordé par l’Agence japonaise de coopération internationale (JICA). Signé le 4 mai 2025 entre la ministre des Affaires étrangères, Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, et l’ambassadeur du Japon, Ogawa Hidetoshi, cet appui vise à réhabiliter les réseaux dans les communes de Limete, Lemba, Matete, Ngaba et Kisenso.

Timothée Manoke, stagiaire

Lire aussi :

La Snel mandate une entreprise chinoise pour réhabiliter le réseau nord de Kinshasa

Kinshasa : 27 millions $ pour améliorer l’alimentation électrique de cinq communes

Le ministre centrafricain du Développement de l’énergie et des Ressources hydrauliques, Arthur Bertrand Piri, s’est rendu à Kinshasa le 19 août 2025 pour rencontrer son homologue congolaise, Acacias Bandubula. Au cœur des discussions : l’approvisionnement de la République centrafricaine (RCA) en produits pétroliers.

Le ministre centrafricain a souligné qu’en raison de l’organisation de plusieurs scrutins d’ici décembre, la consommation de carburants allait croître en RCA. En plus des besoins habituels, s’ajoutera la consommation liée aux opérations électorales, incluant le déploiement du matériel, la logistique et la sécurisation. Or, le niveau actuel des stocks est jugé « insignifiant » par les autorités centrafricaines.

« Habituellement, à partir du mois de juin, les barges commencent à remonter. Mais cette année, les vraies pluies ont débuté seulement fin juillet. C’est donc seulement au début du mois d’août que nous avons timidement commencé les remontées. Nous avons ainsi accusé un retard de deux mois, ce qui a affecté le stock national », a expliqué le ministre Piri.

Il faut savoir que 80 % de la consommation officielle de carburant en RCA transite par la RDC et est acheminée par voie fluviale. Cette voie, moins coûteuse que la route (environ deux fois moins chère), n’est praticable que pendant une période limitée chaque année, généralement de juillet à décembre.

Pour rattraper ce retard logistique, Bangui sollicite un appui de Kinshasa, notamment sur le plan opérationnel. C’est la société SEP Congo (Services des entreprises pétrolières congolaises) qui assure le déchargement des tankers au port d’Ango-Ango à Matadi, le transfert par pipeline jusqu’à Kinshasa, puis le transport fluvial jusqu’en RCA.

Une réunion tenue le même jour entre la ministre congolaise des Hydrocarbures et le comité professionnel des importateurs de produits pétroliers a permis d’examiner cette situation. Selon nos informations, des orientations ont été données par la ministre pour faciliter le transit des produits pétroliers destinés à la RCA.

Ronsard Luabeya

Lire aussi :

Corridors : un projet de 150 millions $ pour relier la RDC à la RCA, l’Ouganda et le Burundi

La dégradation avancée du pont Lovoy, situé entre les villages de Lueji et Lunge sur la route nationale n°1, a entraîné l’interruption totale du trafic entre Lubumbashi et Kamina depuis plusieurs jours. Cette situation suscite une vive inquiétude au sein de la société civile locale, qui redoute des pénuries de produits sur les marchés de Kamina.

D’après des sources officielles, le pont, initialement conçu pour de petites charges, subit depuis plusieurs années une forte pression due au passage régulier de camions poids lourds. Cette sollicitation excessive a provoqué un affaissement progressif de l’ouvrage, le rendant dangereux, voire impraticable.

Face à l’urgence, le ministre provincial des Infrastructures du Haut-Lomami, Venance Mutombo, a ordonné la suspension immédiate de la circulation sur le pont Lovoy et annoncé des travaux de réhabilitation. Le projet prévoit la construction d’un nouveau pont en béton armé pour remplacer l’actuelle structure métallique, mais aucun calendrier précis n’a été communiqué quant à la durée des travaux.

Entre-temps, plusieurs camions sont bloqués de part et d’autre du pont, situé à environ 20 kilomètres de Kamina, exposant les marchandises au risque de détérioration, avec des pertes potentielles pour les commerçants et les transporteurs. Cette situation oblige également chauffeurs et voyageurs à passer la nuit à la belle étoile, en l’absence d’infrastructures d’hébergement disponibles sur place.

Boaz Kabeya

Lire aussi :

Effondrement du pont Kibi : le commerce entre la RDC et le Soudan du Sud à l’arrêt

Pont Luilu : un chaînon clé entre Lomami et Grand Katanga à nouveau opérationnel