• A 96 km road linking Kwilu, Ngongo, and Kimpangu is being paved in Kongo Central.

• The $160.38 million project is 80% financed by a Chinese consortium, 20% by the state.

• The road will ease trade with Angola and reduce reliance on risky river transport.

The Democratic Republic of Congo has begun paving the Kwilu–Ngongo–Kimpangu road in Kongo Central province. The 96 km two-lane stretch will include administrative and logistics facilities, such as a dry port at Kimpangu, as well as customs and border post buildings with Angola.

The project, valued at $160.38 million, is financed 80% by the Chinese consortium CRBC-TECNOVIA and 20% by the Congolese government. Work is scheduled to last 24 months. Until now, the dirt road has been a vital but often impassable link for trade with Angola and for serving local communities, particularly during the rainy season.

Before the recent revival of freight rail services on the Matadi–Kinshasa line, which partly serves the area, much of the region’s transport and cargo relied on river traffic despite high accident risks. According to Inmarsat’s Future of Maritime Safety Report, Nigeria, DRC, and Mozambique accounted for nearly 72% of boat accident fatalities in 2024.

The paving of this road, alongside rail services, is expected to reduce dependence on river transport until safety measures improve. Beyond supporting local economic activity, the new infrastructure should also strengthen cross-border trade with neighboring Angola.