Representatives of a consortium comprising Mida Advisors, Standard Bank and Bank of America met with Democratic Republic of Congo Prime Minister Judith Suminwa in Kinshasa on June 11.
According to Aymeric Saha, chief executive officer of Mida Advisors, the consortium presented an innovative financing framework aimed at securing funding at attractive interest rates and with longer repayment periods. Saha said financing could be structured over 15 to 20 years, making it better suited to large-scale projects in energy, transport, railways, ports and industrial processing linked to the mining sector.
The proposed framework relies on guarantee and insurance instruments designed to reduce perceived investment risk and improve financing conditions available to the DRC. Saha noted that infrastructure financing costs across Africa remain high despite the continent's significant development needs.
In April 2026, the DRC raised $1.25 billion through its first sovereign Eurobond issuance. The transaction confirmed investor appetite for Congolese sovereign debt, although at a relatively high cost. The two tranches were issued at yields of 8.75% and 9%, with average maturities of five and 10 years.
Institutional investors
The consortium also highlighted its ability to broaden the DRC's access to international capital markets. It said the initiative could help attract U.S. institutional investors, including pension funds and insurance companies, which have traditionally been cautious about emerging-market investments.
According to Saha, such investors could consider Congolese projects if they are properly structured, supported by adequate guarantees and backed by effective risk-mitigation mechanisms. Under the proposed arrangement, Mida Advisors would serve as lead arranger, working alongside Standard Bank and Bank of America.
Mida Advisors is a U.S.-based financial advisory and project development firm specializing in raising capital for emerging markets, particularly in Africa. The company says it has helped secure more than $2.8 billion in financing across emerging markets and supported more than 75,000 jobs through a network of over 80 institutional investors.
Strategic projects
The initiative is intended to build on the strategic partnership agreement signed between the DRC and the United States on Dec. 4 last year. Saha said the agreement created opportunities to finance high-impact projects capable of transforming key sectors of the Congolese economy.
The agreement identifies several categories of projects expected to drive economic cooperation between the two countries. A central focus is the development of critical minerals, including the creation of a Strategic Asset Reserve to support mineral exploration, development and extraction projects.
The partnership also targets domestic mineral-processing initiatives, including refining, smelting, hydrometallurgical processing, downstream processing activities and the reprocessing of mining waste.
The two sides have also committed to working together to secure financing for the implementation of the DRC's designated strategic projects. These initiatives have been identified by Kinshasa as central to its long-term development strategy and aligned with the objectives of the partnership.
An initial list of 52 projects has been submitted to the Joint Steering Committee, and the Congolese government is currently selecting the first 15 priority projects. The agreement already identifies several flagship initiatives, including the Sakania-Lobito corridor and the Grand Inga hydropower project.
The challenge now will be to translate the consortium's interest into concrete financing commitments. For Kinshasa, the ability to develop bankable projects, secure guarantees and strengthen investor confidence will determine the extent to which this new financing channel delivers tangible results.
Pierre Mukoko & Ronsard Luabeya
