The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) plans to establish a treasury agreement with commercial banks involved in paying civil servants to guarantee fixed-date salary payments, as the state continues to face liquidity constraints.

According to the Ministry of Public Service, Administrative Modernization, and Public Service Innovation, Minister Jean-Pierre Lihau met on October 8 with bank representatives to discuss the arrangement. Under the plan, banks would advance salaries to public employees, with the government repaying them later with interest.

Data from the Central Bank of Congo (BCC) show that short-term state borrowing rates average 10% annually. At that rate, the potential market for banks could reach about $40 million per year, given that the revised 2025 budget estimates the public wage bill at $4 billion.

Talks also include a proposed pension advance mechanism under which banks would pre-finance retirees’ benefits, reimbursed by the state through monthly installments equivalent to their former salaries, plus interest. This reform, first presented in July 2025, has resurfaced for review.

The Ministry of Budget aims to start payments on the 15th of each month, prioritizing police, military, and teachers. However, delays of up to two weeks persist due to tight treasury conditions. In September, the deficit reached 83.8 billion Congolese francs, with revenues of 3,317.2 billion francs against expenditures of 3,401.2 billion, according to an October 3 economic bulletin.

To address these gaps, the government now plans to rely on bank advances. Financial institutions have expressed readiness to support the initiative, which mirrors the mechanism used to settle the state’s fuel subsidy debts and could take effect in 2026.