The Employers Federation of Congo (FEC) recently expressed concerns over doubling the daily minimum wage to $5 in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). On December 31, 2024, Minister of Labor, Éphraïm Nametu, issued a decree to ratify the increase.

In response, the FEC, in a letter dated January 14, 2025, lauded the move but raised several legal concerns that require harmonization with existing laws and regulations. In the letter, the FEC’s Secretary General requested a meeting with Minister Nametu to ensure that the laws regulating the minimum wage amendment are respected. The FEC thus implies that the ministerial decree fails to meet these laws.

While Minister Nametu has not commented on the FEC’s concerns yet, the wage increase is expected to take effect next month. It is worth noting that the government, the FEC, and the country’s Unions held a social dialogue last October.

This article was initially published in French by Pierre Mukoko

Edited in English by Ola Schad Akinocho