• Jean Bamanisa says Kinshasa needs 3,500 km of roads rebuilt at a cost of over $10 billion.
• He warns that without urgent investment, the city could slide into dysfunction and decay.
• Bamanisa proposes mining-backed funding and urban studies to guide long-term development.
Congolese politician and entrepreneur Jean Bamanisa Saïdi has issued a stark warning over the deteriorating state of Kinshasa’s infrastructure, arguing that without large-scale reconstruction, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) could begin to resemble long-lost medieval cities.
Speaking in an interview with B-One Television ahead of the 9th edition of Expobéton, held from April 16 to 19 in Lubumbashi, Bamanisa stressed that Kinshasa urgently needs to rebuild approximately 3,500 kilometers of roads. He compared the scale of transformation required to the urban redesign of Paris under Napoleon III and Haussmann in the 19th century.
Bamanisa warned that without this intervention, chronic issues such as extreme traffic congestion, flooding, unsanitary conditions, and urban disorder could continue to worsen. Today, rainfall regularly results in fatal floods, and traffic jams lasting up to five hours have become routine in several areas. He attributes these problems to neglected diversion roads, chaotic use of public space, and a rise in social incivility.
A former governor of Ituri (2013–2015 and 2019–2022), Bamanisa estimates that a 20–30 year plan and a minimum of $10 billion would be required to restore Kinshasa’s infrastructure. He proposed innovative financing strategies, including infrastructure-for-resources agreements akin to the Sicomines model, which trades mineral concessions for infrastructure investment.
At the 2025 Mining Indaba, Bamanisa advocated linking urban and mining development, pointing to historical examples such as Kolwezi and Likasi. He emphasized the importance of genuine urban planning studies, citing the ongoing threat of uncontrolled settlement around Kinshasa’s proposed bypass project, intended to connect industrial and residential zones.
As head of PPC Barnet RDC, a major cement producer, Bamanisa also encouraged the use of durable and locally appropriate construction materials, including concrete, limestone, sand, mining waste, volcanic rock, and lime. He called for modern, context-specific construction techniques that can support long-term urban resilience in the DRC.
• Global coffee consumption projected to hit a record 169.4 million 60-kg bags in 2025/2026, up from...
In a West African financial landscape marked by tighter regulation of the fintech sector, digital fi...
• BOAD releases CFA10 billion ($17.8 million) to support Boungou and Wahgnion gold mines.• Burkina F...
Transport and food prices have been climbing steadily across Africa in recent years. In Côte d’Ivoir...
• Burkina Faso-based financial group, Vista Group Holding, has acquired a majority stake in Société ...
• Algeria grants commercial 5G licenses to top three telecom operators: Mobilis, Djezzy, and Ooredoo • License award comes on stream as part of the...
• The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has authorized a $262.3 million disbursement for Ethiopia, taking total payments under Extended Credit...
• ECOWAS Bank funds 47.7-km stretch of strategic 700-km road project• Lagos-Calabar highway seen boosting regional trade and investment• Part of broader...
• IFC teams up with AfDB and Nigeria’s EbonyLife to assess a new fund for African cinema• Sector could grow to $20 bln annually and create 20 mln...
The Gerewol tradition is a fascinating ritual celebrated by the Bororo Fulani, a nomadic community primarily located in Chad and Niger. This annual...
In northern Ethiopia, in the Tigray region, lies Axum (also spelled Aksum), an ancient city that once stood at the heart of one of Africa’s most powerful...