Kinshasa's provincial authorities announced a crackdown on the ride-hailing sector on Monday, citing a surge in kidnappings and rising insecurity in the Congolese capital.

In a statement published on March 7, 2026, provincial governor Daniel Bumba Lubaki said he had directed the provincial executive to implement security and technological measures aimed at protecting residents and regulating the urban transport sector.

Provincial Minister of Transport and Urban Mobility Jésus-Noël Sheke said the measures include the mandatory registration of all ride-hailing vehicles, known locally as VTCs, operating in the capital. Each vehicle will be required to display a secure QR code allowing immediate tracking.

Drivers will also be required to hold a professional card to operate. Starting March 23, any driver caught operating without the document will face administrative and criminal penalties, Sheke said.

Real-Time Tracking

Digital ride-hailing platforms will be required to connect with Kinshasa's Provincial Agency for Digital Development, known by its French acronym APDNK. The measure is intended to allow authorities to monitor the real-time geolocation of vehicles operating in the city.

The measures come amid mounting public concern over security in the capital. Several kidnapping cases have been reported in recent weeks. On social media, accounts shared by relatives and witnesses describe the abduction of a journalist who was allegedly held for several days before being released. Those accounts have not been the subject of detailed official statements from authorities.

The provincial government said the new measures are intended to strengthen public safety and restore confidence in urban transport services. Authorities said vehicle tracking and driver identification should help reduce the risk of fraudulent use of ride-hailing platforms.

The ride-hailing sector in Kinshasa has been subject to tighter regulation since July 2025, when an administrative inspection mission led by the province resulted in the suspension of several platforms operating in the capital, leaving Yango as the only company authorized to operate.

Ronsard Luabeya