Kinshasa, January 19th, 2026 (CPA). –The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), under the leadership of the Head of State, has created a Ministry of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) to implement mechanisms likely to develop the Congolese middle classes, the foundation of the national economy, whose procedures for accessing credit must be strengthened. This is to ensure the proper development of SMEs. Below are some possible solutions to facilitate access to finance: the implementation of policies and mechanisms to facilitate SME access to credit and investment, by creating loan guarantee programs, specific credit lines or encouraging crowd funding. Strengthening the regulatory and administrative framework by simplifying administrative procedures for the creation and management of SMEs is also among these avenues. On August 26th, 2024, the CPA spoke with economist Yere Apobe, a professor at the University of Kinshasa (Unikin), who advocated for numerous opportunities for entrepreneurship and the implementation of credit access mechanisms to develop the SME sector in the DRC. The economist also suggested ‘reducing bureaucracy, facilitating the process of obtaining licenses and authorizations, and ensuring a stable and business-friendly legal environment’. The Congolese government should also strengthen and promote innovation and entrepreneurship by encouraging research and development, promoting technological innovation, supporting start-ups and entrepreneurial initiatives, and fostering partnerships between SMEs and academic or research institutions. It has also been proposed to strengthen entrepreneurial skills in the country by setting up training and development programs for entrepreneurs, managers and employees of SMEs, in order to improve their skills, particularly in management, marketing and finance. The government must therefore develop infrastructure and support services by investing in transport, telecommunications and energy infrastructure to facilitate the establishment and development of SMEs throughout the country, and set up business support services or incubators, business nurseries and business centers. By implementing these various solutions, it would be possible to promote the growth and development of SMEs in the DRC, which would contribute to boosting the economy and creating jobs for the population in the long term.
Entrepreneurial structures to be leveraged
The Congolese government, under the leadership of Head of State Félix Tshisekedi, has promoted several entrepreneurial structures to develop the middle class, one of the drivers of the Congolese economy, in order to reduce poverty and unemployment. There are several opportunities for business development in the DRC, particularly in the agricultural sector, where the DRC has fertile arable land and a climate conducive to agricultural production. Investment opportunities in agriculture include food production, livestock farming, agri-food processing and agroforestry for local consumption. In information and communication technologies (ICT), with an increasingly connected emerging market, there are many opportunities for entrepreneurs, whether in the development of mobile applications, e-commerce, and software or internet services. In the tourism sector, the DRC has exceptional cultural and natural wealth, with national parks, nature reserves, and historical and cultural sites that can attract tourists. Investment opportunities in the tourism sector include the construction of tourist infrastructure, the effective rehabilitation of zoological and botanical gardens in Kinshasa and in the country’s provinces, and the organization of festivals such as the music festival held from July 16th to 18th, 2025, offering entrepreneurs in this sector the opportunity to make their businesses profitable, as well as catering and transport. In the field of renewable energy, the DRC has significant hydroelectric potential, making it an attractive market for investors in this area. Investment opportunities include the construction of hydroelectric power plants and the production of solar and wind energy. Another area of opportunity is the financial sector and banking services. With a growing and increasingly young population, there is potential for development in the financial sector in the DRC. Investment opportunities include the creation of new financial institutions, the development of mobile banking services and the optimal exploitation of all these opportunities, which require, in particular, a secure environment and an attractive business climate. Government entrepreneurial structures aimed at developing the Congolese middle class include the Congo Entrepreneurship Guarantee Fund (Fogec), the National Agency for the Development of Entrepreneurship in Congo (Anadec), the Regulatory Authority for Subcontracting in the Private Sector (ARSP), the National Agency for the Promotion of Exports (Anapex), the Agency for the Promotion of the Congolese Middle Classes (Aprocm), the Industry Promotion Fund (FPI) and others. All that is needed is to properly implement the missions assigned to these structures and ensure their rigorous support to see the DRC take a leap forward in its national development efforts. It is possible.