• The Democratic Republic of Congo introduced new regulations reserving small trade and standard retail activities for Congolese operators.
• The government granted businesses a six-month transition period to comply with the new rules.
• Authorities said the reform revives the spirit of a 1973 law and aims to reduce foreign competition in local neighborhood commerce.

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) announced the entry into force of new regulations governing small trade and retail activities as part of a broader reform aimed at modernizing and clarifying the country’s domestic trade framework.

The Ministry of National Economy published the measures in a statement on Saturday, May 2. The ministry said the regulations establish a formal distinction between small trade, conventional retail trade and specialized capital-intensive retail activities.

#RDC : COMMUNIQUÉ DE PRESSE N°124/2026

Entrée en vigueur des mesures relatives à l’exercice du petit commerce et du commerce de détail pic.twitter.com/srgnKgtDCM

— Ministère de l'Économie Nationale, RDC (@EconatRDC) May 2, 2026

Under the new provisions, Congolese economic operators will exclusively conduct small trade and conventional retail activities. However, foreign investors will retain access to certain specialized retail segments that require significant capital investment, subject to specific regulatory conditions.

The government said the reform seeks to “create a more structured, fair and secure economic environment” while strengthening national participation in neighborhood commercial activities.

Meanwhile, authorities granted affected operators a six-month deadline to comply with the new regulations. The ministry also said it will launch a public awareness campaign to help businesses understand and implement the measures.

Return to the Spirit of the 1973 Law

Authorities first announced the decision in September 2025. The reform effectively restores the principles of a 1973 law that had already reserved small trade activities for Congolese nationals.

According to the ministry, several regulatory adjustments introduced over recent decades gradually weakened those protections and enabled foreign operators to enter market segments initially reserved for Congolese citizens.

Local media outlet Actualité.cd reported that the growing presence of foreign traders in neighborhood commerce has triggered criticism, particularly in major urban centers such as Kinshasa.

Many Congolese traders consider neighborhood shops, kiosks, street vending and door-to-door sales as critical sources of economic survival for local populations. Consequently, these activities have become symbols of what many local merchants view as difficult competition from foreign operators.

In addition, the debate reflects broader socio-economic pressures linked to employment vulnerability in the DRC.

The World Bank estimated youth unemployment in the DRC at 7.8% in 2025. Meanwhile, the International Labour Organization reported in 2020 that 97.6% of economically active young people worked in the informal sector.

Furthermore, the DRC joins a broader trend across several African countries. Gabon adopted similar restrictions on expatriate participation in small trade activities in August 2025, while Burkina Faso introduced comparable measures in February 2026 to protect local commerce and support domestic employment.

This article was initially published in French by Charlène N’dimon

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum