The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has launched a new partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) aimed at expanding access to finance for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), as the country seeks to strengthen industrial development, create jobs and reduce one of the most persistent barriers to private sector growth. The agreement, signed on 21 July 2026 between the Industry Promotion Fund (FPI) and UNDP, will establish tailored financing mechanisms and business support services targeting entrepreneurs, agricultural value chains, women, youth and artisanal miners under the Action-Change-Transformation (ACT) Programme.
The initiative comes at a critical moment for one of Africa’s largest economies, where limited access to formal finance continues to constrain entrepreneurship despite the country’s vast natural resources and growing domestic market. According to the World Bank, the DRC remains one of the least financially inclusive economies in Sub-Saharan Africa, with credit to the private sector accounting for only 11% of gross domestic product, compared with a regional average exceeding 45%. This financing deficit has significantly limited the growth potential of MSMEs, which account for the overwhelming majority of businesses and employment across the country.
According to the Industry Promotion Fund, the partnership seeks to develop financial products better suited to the needs of Congolese enterprises while strengthening the capacity of financial institutions to serve businesses operating in sectors that have traditionally struggled to obtain affordable credit. Beyond financing, the agreement also includes technical assistance aimed at improving business management, supporting agricultural value chains and strengthening entrepreneurship ecosystems capable of generating sustainable employment.
The programme will place particular emphasis on supporting young entrepreneurs, women-owned businesses, farmers, artisanal mining communities and emerging enterprises capable of delivering measurable economic and social benefits. Officials say commercially viable projects with strong employment creation potential will receive priority consideration, reflecting a broader shift toward development financing that combines economic growth with social inclusion.
The agreement also aligns with the DRC’s wider industrialisation agenda, which seeks to strengthen domestic production, increase value addition and reduce dependence on imported manufactured goods. The Industry Promotion Fund said the collaboration reinforces its mandate to mobilise investment for building “a competitive, inclusive and resilient industrial base” capable of supporting long-term economic transformation.
For the Democratic Republic of Congo, improving access to finance has become increasingly important as policymakers seek to diversify an economy that remains heavily dependent on mining exports. While the country possesses some of the world’s largest reserves of cobalt, copper, lithium and other critical minerals essential for the global energy transition, successive governments have acknowledged the need to expand manufacturing, agribusiness and small-scale enterprise development to generate broader-based economic growth.
According to the African Development Bank (AfDB), industrialisation remains one of Africa’s most effective pathways for creating quality employment, increasing productivity and reducing poverty. However, the continent continues to face a significant financing gap, particularly for MSMEs, which frequently lack collateral, formal financial records or sufficient credit histories required by commercial banks.
The financing challenge is especially pronounced in the DRC. According to the World Bank Enterprise Surveys, only 6% of small businesses in the country currently have access to formal bank loans. Access improves modestly for medium-sized enterprises, where 18% have formal financing, while 51% of large companies are able to secure bank credit. These disparities illustrate how financial systems often favour larger corporations while excluding the businesses that generate the majority of employment opportunities.
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) estimates that Africa’s MSME financing gap exceeds US$330 billion, highlighting the scale of unmet demand for business capital across the continent. Closing that gap has become a priority for governments, development finance institutions and multilateral organisations seeking to stimulate inclusive economic growth.
The DRC partnership reflects an increasingly integrated approach to enterprise development that extends beyond lending. According to UNDP, sustainable business development requires combining finance with technical assistance, digital innovation, market access and institutional capacity building. Many small enterprises fail not because of insufficient market demand, but because they lack the financial literacy, business development services and advisory support needed to scale sustainably.
Agriculture represents another important focus of the initiative. The DRC possesses more than 80 million hectares of arable land, yet only a fraction is currently under cultivation. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), strengthening agricultural value chains through improved financing could significantly increase food production, reduce import dependence and create employment across rural communities. Better access to finance enables farmers and agribusinesses to invest in improved seeds, irrigation, storage facilities, processing equipment and transport infrastructure that increase productivity while reducing post-harvest losses.
The inclusion of artisanal miners also reflects the unique structure of the Congolese economy. Artisanal and small-scale mining provides livelihoods for hundreds of thousands of Congolese households, particularly in mineral-rich provinces. However, operators frequently struggle to access formal financial services, limiting investment in safer equipment, environmental management and value addition. Expanding financial inclusion within the mining sector could contribute to improved livelihoods while supporting broader efforts to formalise mineral production and strengthen responsible supply chains.
The partnership also supports several objectives under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which seeks to strengthen industrial production and expand intra-African trade by improving the competitiveness of domestic enterprises. Stronger MSMEs will be essential if African countries are to benefit fully from larger regional markets created under the continental trade agreement.
International development partners increasingly recognise that financial inclusion represents not only a social objective but also an economic imperative. According to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), expanding access to financial services contributes directly to poverty reduction, decent work, industrial innovation, gender equality and inclusive economic growth. Improving MSME financing also enhances resilience by enabling businesses to withstand economic shocks, invest in productivity improvements and create stable employment opportunities.
Established in 1989, the Industry Promotion Fund has played a central role in financing industrial development across the DRC by supporting enterprise expansion, modernising production facilities and encouraging domestic manufacturing. The new collaboration with UNDP broadens that mandate by combining public financing with international development expertise and institutional support.
As African economies continue pursuing industrial transformation amid tightening global financial conditions, initiatives that improve access to capital for productive enterprises are likely to become increasingly significant. For the Democratic Republic of Congo, the success of this partnership will depend not only on the volume of financing mobilised but also on whether it enables entrepreneurs, farmers and local businesses to expand production, generate employment and strengthen the country’s long-term economic resilience.
The agreement demonstrates a growing recognition that sustainable industrialisation requires more than infrastructure and natural resources. It also depends on accessible financial systems capable of supporting entrepreneurs whose businesses drive local economies, create jobs and contribute to inclusive national development.
