Congo plans first stock exchange next year
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The Democratic Republic of Congo is set to launch its first stock exchange next year, marking a major step in the country’s financial development. The proposed exchange will trade in both the Congolese franc and the U.S. dollar.
Finance Minister Doudou Fwamba Likunde Li-Botayi said the exchange is being developed with the International Finance Corp. and is meant to broaden funding options for businesses. He said the government wants to take advantage of growing international interest in Congo’s economy.
The new market is expected to benefit from stronger demand for minerals such as copper, cobalt and lithium. Those resources are becoming more important as artificial intelligence drives demand for metals used in digital infrastructure and energy systems.
Mining companies are expected to be the main participants in the exchange, although authorities also want to build a wider pipeline of initial public offerings. The government is also considering tax incentives for listed companies as part of the market-building effort.
The exchange is being designed around the reality of Congo’s highly dollarized economy. Li-Botayi said more than 95% of banking deposits and over 80% of public securities are already held in dollars, which is why the new market will not ignore the currency structure in place today.
DR Congo is Africa’s leading copper producer and a major supplier of cobalt and lithium, making it central to the global critical minerals supply chain. The IMF expects the country’s strong metals exports this year to help make it Africa’s fifth-largest economy.
The move follows the creation of new exchanges in Ethiopia and Somalia in 2025, and it adds to a broader wave of market development across the continent. In that context, Congo’s planned exchange is both a financing tool and a signal that the country wants a bigger role in Africa’s capital markets.
