• DRC Council of Ministers approves collaboration agreement for $8 billion Sino-Congolese Industrial City featuring 1,200 factories across 5,000 hectares 

• Industrial city forms part of massive $50 billion new city project on 43,000-hectare site in Maluku commune east of Kinshasa 

• Project targets 30,000 immediate jobs and 100,000 over 10 years

The Democratic Republic of Congo has cleared a major hurdle for its ambitious industrial development plans, with the Council of Ministers approving a collaboration agreement for the Sino-Congolese Industrial City on September 12, 2025. The Strategic Committee overseeing the broader Kinshasa extension project called the decision "momentous," paving the way for an official project launch within days.

The industrial city is part of a $50 billion initiative to build a new urban center on 43,000 hectares in Maluku commune, east of Kinshasa. The industrial zone will feature eight parks housing 1,200 factories across 5,000 hectares, plus a 2,000-hectare commercial district and 500-hectare workers' quarter, with total investment estimated at $8 billion according to Belgian newspaper L'Echo.

The 7,500-hectare site enjoys strategic access to the Congo River and the capital's main transportation arteries. Designated as a Special Economic Zone, it will offer tax and customs incentives to attract foreign and domestic investors focusing on agro-industry, manufacturing, and other production activities.

The agreement approval comes after significant delays. Construction was originally scheduled to begin in early 2025, but negotiations proved complex. A first version submitted to the Council of Ministers on July 18 was rejected, forcing revisions.

Details of the final agreement remain confidential, though it binds the DRC to Sino-Congo Special Economic Development Zone Sarl, the project company established by a Chinese consortium led by China State Construction Engineering. The implementation roadmap was also presented to ministers, but not made public.

Under previous timelines, development would proceed gradually from 2025-2026 with land preparation and basic infrastructure, followed by the first industrial units coming online from 2027, building to full capacity by 2030.

The project promises immediate creation of 30,000 direct jobs and over 100,000 positions within a decade. For the Congolese government, the industrial city represents a crucial diversification tool as minerals still account for over 90% of national exports. Officials hope the zone will develop sectors that add local value and broaden the tax base beyond resource extraction.

Pierre Mukoko