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Democratic Republic of the Congo

Ministry of Planning

National Investment Promotion Agency

ANAPI

Investment volume


Factsheet on investments in the DRC

  • Investment is the most important factor in economic growth. It generates income and is one of the main drivers of economic activity.
  • In recent years, the DRC has performed quite remarkably well in terms of attracting investment. This is due to the effects of economic and other reforms that are likely to make DRC one of the best investment destinations in Africa.

Evolution of Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs)

Table n°04: FDIs in the DRC from 2010 to 2017

Investment flows

 Years

 

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

Inward FDIs

2,939

1,687

3,312

2,098

2,063

1,675.5

1,204.7

1,340.2

Outward FDIs

7

91

421

401

344

507.8

272.3

292.2

Net FDIs

2,939

1,596

2,892

1,698

1,720

1,165.7

932.4

1,048.0

Source: DRC/BCC balance of payments

  • More than 50% of inward FDI flows are in the primary sector (mining).
  • As part of the diversification of the economy, the country favors investment in the secondary sector, which creates added value.

General situation of projects admitted to the Investment Code regime in 2018

Table n°5: Breakdown of approved projects by type

Project type

Number of projects

Investment cost in USD

Jobs to be created

Creative Project

82

3,489,480,220

9,847

Diversification extension project

1

168,431,588

52

Extension modernization project

13

321,433,339

1,215

Total

96

3,979,345,147

11,114

The table opposite shows that in 2018, 96 investment projects were admitted to the benefits of the Investment Code for a total cost of USD 3,979,345,147 of which USD 625,718,942. All other things being equal, these projects can generate 11,114 permanent jobs.

It can be seen from this table that the creation projects are the most important with an amount of USD 3,489,480,220, i.e. 88% of the total cost of the approved projects. The same trend can also be observed in terms of jobs to be created. In fact, the creation projects will generate 9,847 jobs against 52 in favor of diversification extension projects and 1,215 in favor of modernization extension projects.

Breakdown of approved projects by sector of activity

It follows from the table below that the investments admitted to the Investment Code regime in 2018 are dominated by those in the services sector with 64 projects for a total investment cost estimated at 2,075,026. 397 USD, capable of generating 6,186 permanent jobs compared to other sectors including industry with 30 projects for a total cost of 1,785,373,904 USD, i.e. 45% of the total cost of investments approved in 2018 and infrastructure with 2 investment projects for a total investment cost of 77,416,210 USD. Such a trend must be improved in the future through appropriate investment promotion actions in order to admit much more to the benefits of investments projects in the industrial sector that generate added value.

Table n°6: Breakdown of projects by sector of activity

Sector of activity

Number of Projects

Investment cost

Jobs to be created

I. Services

 

 

 

Telecommunications

2

155 050 645

280

Hotels and real estate

31

533 055 291

1 568

Inland waterway transport

1

17 284 184

360

Air transport

1

4 912 672

50

Road transport

7

151 506 872

1 596

Electricity

8

1 148 418 882

1654

Healthcare facilities

3

6 644 759

131

Civil Engineering

2

5 588 230

213

Other services

9

52 564 862

334

Subtotal Services

64

2 075 026 397

6 186

II. Industries

 

 

 

Soaps and cosmetics

-

-

-

Building materials and similar products

1

634 440 983

471

Products made of plastic, foam, rubber, ...

-

 

-

Toilet paper and towels

 

-

-

Manufacturing industry

1

76294588

173

Copper and other ore processing

 

 

 

 

Agro-industry

15

109 382 428

2 441

Other Industries

9

965 255 905

1 798

Subtotal Industry

30

1 785 373 904

4 883

III Infrastructure

 

 

 

Subtotal Infrastructure

2

 118 944 847

45

GRAND TOTAL

96

3 979 345 147

11 114


Graph n°14: Presentation of projects by sector of activity

Source:ANAPI/Directorate of Approvals

Analysis of the source of the capital injected in the projects admitted to the Investment Code

The table below highlights the flow of foreign direct investment admitted under the Investment Code on the one hand, and those of investments by nationals on the other hand.

In fact, out of the 96 projects admitted to the Investment Code, 42 are FDIs, i.e. 43.75% of the total for a total investment cost of USD 2,830,396,658, representing 71.12% and the resulting difference represents the share of investments by nationals.

Table n°04:Distribution of projects approved by FDI and National Investments

Source of capital

Number of projects

 

Investment cost in USD

Jobs to be created

Foreign Direct Investment

42

2 830 396 658

5 234

Nationals’ investments

54

1 148 948 489

5 880

Total

96

3 979 345 147

11 114

The breakdown of Investments by nationality as shown in the table below, it should be noted that Chinese investments occupy the first place in the Top 15 with an investment cost of around USD 2,092,145,476, i.e. 52.57% of the total investment cost. This substantial performance indicates that China is one of the most important sites in the framework of targeting countries’ investments with regard to the generation of foreign direct investment.

Moreover, investments by nationals come in second place with 55 investment projects for an investment cost in the order of USD 1,152,967,717, representing 28.97%. This flow seems important and justifies why ANAPI’s promotion action must also be actively directed towards the investments of nationals through the missions of sensitization of investors in the Provinces.

Table n°5: Distribution of FDI by nationality

Ranking

Nationality

Investment costs

Number of projects

 
 

1th

Chinese

2 092 145 476

11

 

2th

DRC

1 152 967 717

55

 

3th

UK

237 855 407

2

 

4th

Dutch

117 414 913

3

 

5th

Montenegro

115 878 092

1

 

6th

Belgian

84 524 814

6

 

7th

Mauritian

70 303 156

2

 

8th

Canadian

43 668 211

2

 

9th

American

25 030 804

3

 

10th

Turkish

13 613 008

1

 

11th

Israeli

12 081 976

1

 

12th

Lebanese

4 912 672

5

 

13th

French

4 849 227

2

 

14th

Seychelles’

2 215 877

1

 

15th

Kenyan

1 883 797

1

 

Total

 

3 979 345 147

96

 


Table n°6: Provincial distribution of projects eligible under the Investment Code

Location/

Province

Location/

Province

Number of Projects

Jobs to be created

1

Province of Haut-Katanga

1 905 865 559

9

1800

2

Inter Provincial

1 488 928 498

14

2 716

3

Lualaba

396 047 206

2

130

4

Kinshasa

359 767 007

33

3 347

5

North –Kivu

177 572 812

9

446

6

Kongo-Central

120 917 722

6

288

7

Tshopo

106 610 901

2

296

8

South-Kivu

88 273 788

6

356

9

Equateur

76 294 588

1

173

10

Haut-uélé

22 684 743

5

285

11

Kwilu

9 948 820

3

984

12

Kasaï-Oriental

9 332 064

2

149

13

Ituri

6 817 354

1

50

14

Tanganyika

5 783 859

2

83

15

Province of South-Ubangi

191 118

1

11

Total

3 979 345 147

96

11 114

With regard to the above table, it should be noted that out of the 96 projects admitted to the Investment Code, 33 projects are located in the City-Province of Kinshasa, i.e. 34.37% of the total, followed by inter-provincial projects, i.e. located in more than one Province, i.e. 14 projects, the Provinces of Haut-Katanga and North Kivu with 9 projects each, the Province of Kongo-Central with 6 projects, etc. At the bottom of the ranking are Provinces such as South Ubangi with 1 project, Ituri with 1 project, and Equateur with 1 project. It should be noted that some Provinces such as Lomami, Haut-Lomami, and Nord-Ubangi... have no project.

Graphs n°15: Presentation of projects according to the volume of investments, the number of jobs to be created and the number of approved projects.