• Project to create 1,200 factories, 150,000 jobs in Kinshasa
• Part of $50B plan to expand capital, diversify economy
  

On Oct. 23, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) signed an agreement with the Sino-Congo Special Zone (SCSZ) consortium to build the China-Congo Industrial City. The project is part of a broader plan to extend Kinshasa’s development eastward into the Maluku area.

According to the Prime Minister’s office, the project aims to ease congestion in the capital, boost employment, and position Kinshasa as a leading industrial and economic hub in Central Africa.

The first phase of the project is estimated at $12 billion and will cover 75 square kilometers. It includes plans for the creation of 1,200 industrial units which, in the long term, are expected to generate nearly 150,000 direct and indirect jobs, contributing to the country's economic transformation.

The industrial city is designed as a Special Economic Zone (SEZ), offering fiscal and customs incentives intended to attract domestic and foreign investors in the agribusiness, manufacturing, and processing sectors.

This public-private partnership aligns with President Félix Tshisekedi’s vision and fulfills the third pillar of the government's action plan, which focuses on sustainable economic growth.

The convention’s signing, which was delayed for several months, marks a significant step for the country. Initially scheduled for early 2025, the project’s implementation was postponed due to complex negotiations. An initial draft presented to the Council of Ministers on July 18, 2025, was rejected before being approved on September 12. With this agreement, the DRC advances a strategic step toward diversifying its economy, which has long relied heavily on mineral exports.

The Sino-Congolese Industrial City is a component of a larger $50 billion project aimed at building an entirely new city over 43,000 hectares in the Maluku district, east of Kinshasa. The industrial component will comprise eight industrial parks with 1,200 units across 5,000 hectares, a commercial district covering 2,000 hectares, and a workers' residential area spanning 500 hectares.

Ingrid Haffiny