The North Kivu provincial government, in collaboration with banking institutions, is planning to shift banking operations from Goma to Beni, the province's temporary capital. This decision was announced following a meeting on March 4, 2025, between North Kivu’s military governor, Major General Évariste Somo Kakule, and representatives of local banks.

The move comes in response to the closure of banks in Goma after the city fell under the control of M23 rebels and their Rwandan allies. The occupation has disrupted financial services, making it difficult for the government to pay salaries to civil servants and bonuses to soldiers stationed on the front lines. To address this issue, authorities and banking institutions are exploring ways to facilitate payments from Beni.

"Most of the institutions active in Goma are also here in Beni. We are looking at ways to have agents previously paid by banks absent in Beni to continue receiving payments here" said Reagan Dikoma, manager of Equity BCDC, speaking on behalf of the banks.

Paying salaries and bonuses remains a pressing concern for the central government. During the 32nd Council of Ministers meeting on February 21, 2025, Prime Minister Judith Suminwa highlighted this issue, which had been discussed earlier at the Economic Context Committee meeting on February 19. However, no definitive solution has yet been reached. During the Council, ministers were tasked with “thinking of practical modalities for salary disbursement in North and South Kivu.”

This article was initially published in French by Ronsard Luabeya (intern)

Edited in English by Ola Schad Akinocho