Congo: Invertir al Congo
FDI flows to the Republic of Congo had been steadily increasing until the onset of the pandemic, but they have contracted since then. Like many countries in the region, Congo is rich in oil and other raw materials, making it highly sensitive to fluctuations in global natural resource prices. According to UNCTAD's World Investment Report 2024, FDI inflows to Congo reached USD 626 in 2023, up by 17.7% year-on-year but still significantly lower than the levels recorded before the pandemic. At the end of the same period, the total stock of inward FDI stood at USD 34.65 billion, equivalent to around 240.3% of the country's GDP. France, China, the Netherlands, Mauritius, and Italy are among the main investors in the country, with China increasingly involved in infrastructure projects such as port, road, rail, and electricity development. The majority of investments are directed towards the oil and gas sector.
Congo's natural resources, especially oil and timber, constitute its main assets. In recent years, there has been a focus on the mining sector, which is attracting a growing number of investors. The country is expected to play a significant role in Central Africa due to the modernization of its transportation infrastructure between Brazzaville and Pointe Noire; however, political instability, inadequate infrastructure, high labour and raw material costs, and low productivity discourage foreign investors. There are no known laws or practices that discriminate against foreigners in Congo, and both international and domestic private entities have the right to establish businesses and engage in remunerative activities. In the petroleum sector, foreign entities are required to enter into joint ventures with the Congolese National Petroleum Company (SNPC). An executive order mandates that foreign companies in the hydrocarbons sector must employ Congolese individuals in 80% of management positions and 90% of all employee positions. Additionally, forestry companies must process 100% of their timber domestically and export it as transformed wood products rather than raw timber. Congo ranks low on indices measuring corruption perception and economic freedom, which may pose challenges for investors: it stands 151st among 180 economies on the Corruption Perception Index 2024 and 153rd out of 184 countries on the latest Index of Economic Freedom.
Foreign Direct Investment | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
FDI Inward Flow (million USD) | 4,016 | 532 | 532 |
FDI Stock (million USD) | 32,962 | 33,494 | 34,026 |
Number of Greenfield Investments* | 1 | 0 | 3 |
Value of Greenfield Investments (million USD) | 109 | 0 | 789 |
Source: UNCTAD, Latest available data
Note: * Greenfield Investments are a form of Foreign Direct Investment where a parent company starts a new venture in a foreign country by constructing new operational facilities from the ground up.
Country Comparison For the Protection of Investors | Congo | Sub-Saharan Africa | United States | Germany |
Index of Transaction Transparency* | 7.0 | 5.5 | 7.0 | 5.0 |
Index of Manager’s Responsibility** | 1.0 | 3.5 | 9.0 | 5.0 |
Index of Shareholders’ Power*** | 5.0 | 5.5 | 9.0 | 5.0 |
Source: Doing Business, Latest available data
Note: *The Greater the Index, the More Transparent the Conditions of Transactions. **The Greater the Index, the More the Manager is Personally Responsible. *** The Greater the Index, the Easier it Will Be For Shareholders to Take Legal Action.
Among the factors that make the Republic of the Congo an attractive destination for FDIs, there are:
The Republic of the Congo is not yet an attractive FDIs destination due to several reasons:
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Actualitzacions: May 2025