According to the preliminary results of the 2025 census of industrial enterprises, presented to the Council of Ministers by Acting State Minister of Industry Justin Kalumba Mwana Ngongo, the country has identified 1,226 industrial units, compared with 525 enterprises recorded in 2017 during the previous census. According to the government, this trend reflects the results of the policy pursued since Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo came to power, which has focused on developing and industrializing the country.
«The 2025 census of industrial enterprises indicates significant progress: the number of operating units has increased from 525 in 2017 to 1,226 identified industrial enterprises today», notes an information brief presented at the 96th meeting of the Council of Ministers.
The territorial distribution of industrial facilities shows that business activity is concentrated in three provinces. Kinshasa, Upper Katanga, and Lualaba account for more than 54.5% of all operating industrial enterprises in the country. The census included not only operating companies but also enterprises that have suspended operations or are temporarily closed in various regions of the country. This concentration underscores the particular importance of these three territories for the industrial structure of the Congo, especially in processing, mining, and related services.
«Three provinces, including the city-province of Kinshasa, maintain their lead: 264 enterprises are located in Kinshasa, 188 in Upper Katanga, and 101 in Lualaba. In addition, the report records enterprises that have stopped operating or are temporarily suspended across the country, and identifies various industry segments», the meeting minutes state.
During the same presentation, the Acting State Minister of Industry also positively assessed the launch of the debt collection procedure for the Investment Promotion Fund (FPI). This process is being carried out in accordance with the President’s instructions and following a series of meetings held under the leadership of the Prime Minister.
«The funds collected in this way can be used to finance other industrial projects, making it possible to continue the country’s industrialization», the note emphasizes. Repayment of these debts should help the FPI restore financial resources to support new initiatives, as the government seeks to strengthen national production capacity.
According to the meeting minutes, the minister recommended continuing the recovery process. Industrial development remains one of the key tools in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s economic transformation strategy.
For a country that needs to diversify its economy and reduce its dependence on raw material exports, strengthening the industrial base is becoming a priority. This is necessary to expand local production, create jobs, and increase the share of national value added.
At the same time, the fact that more than half of industrial enterprises are concentrated in only three provinces — Kinshasa, Upper Katanga, and Lualaba — as well as the presence of idle and temporarily closed facilities indicates that serious challenges persist. These challenges are particularly acute in terms of territorial balance in industrial activity, access to financing, and the recovery of troubled enterprises.
At the same time, mechanisms for financing industry are being strengthened, particularly through the recovery of debts owed to the Industrial Promotion Fund (FPI). The return of these funds is seen as a way to free up additional financial resources for industrial projects and support the country’s overall industrialization drive.
Comments (0)