The Congolese government has decided to shut down 402 private placement services operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo, notably for failing to obtain approval from the Ministry of Employment and Labor, supervising minister Ferdinand Massamba wa Massamba said at a cabinet meeting on April 3, 2026.

The move follows a compliance review launched in February 2026 targeting private placement services to verify whether they met legal requirements. Inspectors examined recruitment conditions, compliance with contractual obligations and worker protections.

Authorities identified 635 private placement services nationwide. Of these, 233 were found to be compliant, while 402 were operating in violation of regulations. Reported breaches include operating without a license, failure to provide employment contracts, lack of medical coverage, non-compliance with the minimum wage, and failure to pay social security contributions and personal income tax.

The ministry has granted a 30-day grace period to allow existing contracts to be transferred to licensed operators. After that deadline, the 402 non-compliant services will be permanently shut down.

The crackdown forms part of a broader inspection campaign launched in October 2025, when 176 out of 625 identified services were found to comply with regulations.

The minister said the initiative follows a directive from the president, issued during the 58th cabinet meeting, to clean up the private placement sector and strengthen protections for Congolese workers.

Ronsard Luabeya