Excerpts from a contract signed between the Congolese government—through the Ministries of Interior and Transport—and U.S. company Securiport for an integrated border and immigration security system have circulated on social media since November 3, 2025, sparking widespread controversy. At the center of the debate is Article 38, which concerns the partner’s remuneration.

The article stipulates a $30 security fee to be charged to every air passenger, both on arrival and departure, at all international airports in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Many online users interpreted this as the introduction of a new airport tax, in a context where the public has long demanded the removal of existing levies such as the GoPass, currently set at $50 for international flights and $15 for domestic ones.

However, according to a senior official at the Ministry of Interior quoted by several media outlets, the security fee already exists. It is included in airline ticket prices for international flights to and from the DRC and collected by IATA-affiliated airlines. These revenues, previously allocated to several public agencies including the Directorate General of Migration (DGM), have been partly redirected to finance the Securiport LLC contract, the source said.

This version was confirmed by multiple airlines, which stated they already pay a boarding and security fee to Congolese authorities. In their fare breakdowns, Qatar Airways, Uganda Airlines, and Kenya Airways list a $43.75 charge, while Ethiopian Airlines shows $58 and Air France up to $66.

Fund management mechanism

According to the contract, the $30 security fee will now be paid monthly into a joint account managed by the government and Securiport. The document specifies that an irrevocable monthly transfer order will allocate 85% of the collected funds to Securiport—to recover its investment—and 15% to the Congolese state.

The agreement is structured as a Build–Train–Maintain–Transfer (BTMT) public-private partnership. It involves the deployment of an integrated border and immigration management system, including the installation of technological equipment, centralization of migration data, and digital management of passenger flows at airports, land borders, and seaports.

Securiport is responsible for financing, designing, installing, and maintaining the system while training officials from the two ministries. At the end of the contract—whose duration is not specified in the available excerpts—ownership of all infrastructure, equipment, and software will transfer to the Congolese government.

According to authorities, the project aims to strengthen national security in response to rising transnational threats such as document forgery, identity fraud, infiltration by radicalized individuals, and other cross-border criminal activities. It is intended as part of broader efforts to enhance airport and border security across the country.

Based in Virginia, the United States, Securiport specializes in immigration control and civil aviation security and already operates in Côte d’Ivoire, Sierra Leone, Senegal, and The Gambia, where it provides similar services. In these countries, the security fee ranges between $20 and $25; in The Gambia, for example, 25% of the collected amounts go to the Gambia Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA).

No official statement has yet clarified how Securiport was selected. According to a source close to the executive, the process began about a decade ago, and the company was chosen following a competitive tender.

As of now, the government has issued no official communication on the matter, leaving questions unanswered and public concerns unresolved.