The World Bank in the Republic of Congo

The Republic of Congo (Congo-Brazzaville), located in Central Africa, covers 342,000 km². Its population of 6.1 million people is largely young, with 47% being under age 18. More than half of the population lives in its two main cities — Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire. The country is one of the least densely populated in Africa, with 14.8 inhabitants per square kilometer. 

Covered mainly by tropical forests, the Republic of Congo is home to one of the largest areas of tropical peatlands, a fragile ecosystem that plays a crucial role in climate regulation. The oil sector accounts for about half of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) and 80% of its exports, making it the third largest producer in Sub-Saharan Africa. The country also has a wealth of mineral resources that remain largely untapped. 

Political Context

President Denis Sassou Nguesso was reelected in March 2021. He led the country for the first time from 1979 to 1992, returned to power in 1997, and has won all elections since 2002. The next presidential elections are scheduled for 2026. Since May 2021, the current Prime Minister, Anatole Collinet Makosso, who was reappointed twice, has been leading a government whose priorities include institutional, economic, financial, social, and inclusive governance. 

Social Context

With a human capital index (HCI) of 0.42, the Republic of Congo is behind the average of 0.48 for its peer group of Lower Middle-Income Countries (LMICs). The country has made modest improvements in access to health and education but continues to face structural challenges. Infant mortality remains high at a rate of 32 deaths per 1,000 live births. By the end of primary education, only 30% of students are proficient in reading. Access to electricity stands at 67% of the population in urban areas compared to just 12.4% in rural areas. Access to clean water is another area where improvements are needed; 74% of the population has access to a clean water source, but this is significantly lower in rural areas at 46%, despite the country’s considerable hydrological resources.

The dynamics of social exclusion and drivers of fragility in the Republic of Congo are multidimensional and further exacerbated by poverty and inequality. These issues go beyond the spatial disparities between urban and rural areas, and are exemplified in the divide between population groups, with women, youth, persons with disabilities, and indigenous peoples (IPs) being the most vulnerable. In the 2021 international gender inequality index, the Republic of Congo was ranked 147 out of 170 countries, highlighting the extent of gender-based inequalities. Youth unemployment has also increased over the years and has reached around 42%, which puts additional strain on the country’s fragility and social challenges.

Economic Context

The Congolese economy experienced modest growth in 2024, primarily driven by the non-oil sectors, which expanded by an estimated 4%. This growth marked a significant milestone, as the GDP per capita returned to positive growth (0.3%) for the first time since 2015. As a result, poverty is estimated to have fallen marginally from 46.6 to 46.5% between 2023 and 2024. The economic expansion was underpinned by positive momentum in the agricultural, industrial (excluding oil), and services sectors.

 Although the inflation rate decreased from 4.5% in 2023 to 3.8%, it still exceeds the CEMAC convergence criterion of 3%. The rise in prices has been fueled by increased production costs due to recurring power outages and fuel shortages. Although the inflation rate decreased in 2024, the inflationary pressure on food commodities in the markets due to rising fuel prices is concerning. This is because it further reduces the already very precarious purchasing power of households living in extreme poverty.

From 2020 to 2022, enhanced debt management practices, fiscal discipline, and rising oil revenues initially led to a decrease in the debt-to-GDP ratio from 103.5% to 86.6%. However, by the end of 2023, public debt as a percentage of GDP rose to 96.0%.

To address its cash flow tensions, the government launched the National Treasury Program to reprofile part of the regional debt by extending the maturities. As of September 2024, outstanding domestic securities amount to CFAF 2,314 billion (approximately USD 3.9 billion), with an average maturity of three years and 62.7% due for amortization by 2026. Through the NTOP, CFA 935.6 billion (approximately USD 1.6 billion) of regional debt was reprofiled with an extended of maturities, and a loan of CFA 250 billion (approximately USD 417 million) was partially used to cover the reprofiling costs. The NTOP successfully prevented payment incidents during the fourth quarter of 2024, reducing payment delays in the regional market to the three observed prior to the program.

The Congolese economy is expected to experience modest growth in the coming years with a poverty rate anticipated to gradually decline as GDP per capita rises. The Congolese economy is projected to grow by 3.8% in 2025 and maintain an average growth rate of 3.2% over the period 2026-2027, driven by both the non-oil and oil sectors. 

Last Updated: Apr 07, 2025

In January 2022, the government approved a National Development Plan (NDP) for the 2022-2026 period, which focuses on economic diversification to reduce fragilities and put the country on the path to high, resilient, and inclusive growth. The government placed significant emphasis on youth employment in the last two years of NDP implementation.

The World Bank’s 2020-2024 Country Partnership Framework (CPF) with the Republic of Congo was extended by a year until 2025 following a Performance and Learning Review (PLR) conducted in the fall of 2021 and approved by the Board of Directors on April 7, 2022.

The CPF, which is aligned with the government’s objectives, aims to help the country improve economic management, create a business environment conducive to economic diversification, strengthen its human capital, and improve the delivery of basic public services, particularly in health, education, and social protection services.

Looking ahead, the upcoming elections in 2026 present a significant opportunity for the Bank to prepare a new CPF. This new CPF will be aligned with the new National Development Plan (PND) under preparation and the government's long-term vision.

As of February 28, 2025, the World Bank’s active portfolio in the Republic of Congo comprises 12 projects, of which one is trust fund financed and two are regional projects, for a total commitment of $876.87 million.

Last Updated: Apr 07, 2025

The Fiscal Management and Inclusive Growth Development Policy Financing (DPF) is a programmatic series of three operations (2022-2024). The DPF supports reforms to strengthen domestic revenue mobilization and address persistent inefficiencies in Public Financial Management. It also supports reforms to the business environment and market dynamics essential for the diversification of the economy, addresses critical shortcomings in the delivery of basic public services, and strengthens the social safety net to protect vulnerable populations, especially women. The first operation, worth $50 million, was completed in December 2022. The second World Bank budget support of $80 million was mobilized one year later, in December 2023, bringing the total mobilized to $130 million. The government is working toward ensuring the successful negotiation of the third and final tranche of this budget support package, also estimated to increase from the last year’s $80 million.

The Social Protection and Productive Inclusion of Youth Project (formerly the Lisungi Project – PLRUC), with a total allocation of $133 million, aims to improve access to productive safety nets for poor and vulnerable households, as well as for youth in targeted areas.

Since its launch in October 2020, the project has enabled 29,987 households to benefit from conditional cash transfers (CCTs) to cover essential expenses related to food, education, and health. In addition, 23,660 beneficiary householdshave had their microprojects financed through Cash Transfers for Income-Generating Activities (TMAGR).

Lisungi allocations (CCT and TMAGR) have reached a total of 1,210,723 people living in beneficiary households. 318 Village Savings and Credit Associations (VSCAs) have been established in the various project areas, including 122 that are already fully operational in Sibiti and Madingou.

The Climate-Resilient and Inclusive Livelihoods Project (ProClimat Congo) of $132 million aims to strengthen landscape management, increase the use of improved livelihood activities, and reduce food insecurity in targeted communities. The Contingent Emergency Response Component (CERC) was activated in March 2024 in an amount of $5,119,805, to respond to the urgent needs of the population affected by flooding in several departments.

The Northern Congo Agroforestry Project (PANC) of $15.57 million aims to support agroforestry activities and climate-smart agriculture in community areas of Sangha and Likouala departments. After 3 years of implementation, it has provided mixed subsistence agroforestry systems (with local forest species, food crops) and mixed agroforestry crops (with cocoa, bananas, fruit trees) in 1,418 hectares of degraded areas.

The Health System Strengthening Project Kobikisa, a $50 million initiative, aims to enhance the utilization and quality of reproductive, maternal, and child services in targeted areas, particularly among the poorest households. By mid-March 2025, assessments of health facilities revealed changes in the performance scores of most facilities. Regulation facilities are performing at around 80-90% on average, while care facilities are performing at around 60-70% on average. In addition, the project has facilitated the distribution of: (i) kits of essential and generic medicines (MEG) throughout the 12 departments; (ii) acquisition of routine vaccines covering a whole year for a total amount of $5 million; (iii) general evaluation of health facilities at the national level; (iv) production of recommended therapeutic protocols; (v) acquisition of 42,000 blood collection bags; (vi) 393 health entities contracted, including referral hospitals, CSIs, CDVVs, PTSs and district management teams; (vii) implementation of the PBF web portal, which is interoperable with other platforms such as DIHS-II. The project's closing date has been extended by one year until August 30, 2025, to reinforce the implementation of the PBF system in the country. The progress of activities in the field has improved significantly.

The Congo Digital Acceleration Project (PATN) of $100 million aims to increase broadband internet access to underserved populations and improve the government’s capacity to deliver digitally enabled public services. Implemented since January 2023, it has helped to develop the "Vision Congo digital 2030" strategy, notably by putting in place the legal framework for the digital economy, the national framework for the development of digital skills, as well as the legal and regulatory framework for civil status, civil acts and identification and cybersecurity. 30 MDA (Ministries, Departments and Agencies) are now connected to fiber connectivity, including one public university and town halls. The project will focus on expanding broadband network coverage in underserved rural areas to improve internet access for disadvantaged communities. Various technical assistance (TA) efforts are supporting the operationalization of the national digital agency (ADEN), the Cybersecurity Agency (ANSSI), and the Data Protection Commission (CPD) are still on track. 182 civil servants have been trained on general or specific digital skills such as cybersecurity, data protection.

Last Updated: Apr 07, 2025

The World Bank, China, the European Union, Agence française de développement (AFD), and the African Development Bank (AfDB) are the main financial partners of the Republic of Congo. Their main areas of intervention include promoting economic diversification, improving the business environment, developing the health and education sectors, and strengthening social protection.  United Nations agencies and the Development Bank of Central African States (BDEAC) are also active in the country. On March 12, 2025, the IMF Executive Board completed the sixth and final review of the arrangement under the Extended Credit Facility, allowing for an immediate disbursement of SDR 32.4 million (about $43 million).

Last Updated: Apr 07, 2025