After several years of decline, the Congolese economy is expected to rebound in 2026, with a projected growth rate of around 3.6%, considered resilient and driven primarily by the dynamism of the non-oil sector. This is the result of macroeconomic reforms undertaken by the government for some time, as President Denis Sassou N’Guesso emphasized in his traditional State of the Nation address delivered on November 28th before Parliament convened in Congress.
Faced with the crisis that has plagued Congo for several years, the Head of State remains calm and optimistic about the swift restoration of macroeconomic stability. Thanks to the bold reforms currently underway, Denis Sassou N’Guesso has highlighted three indicators that allow for a positive assessment of Congo’s macroeconomic health: growth, inflation, and debt.
Regarding the growth rate, the Head of State reassured the public that it is improving significantly and will reach around 3.6% next year, primarily due to the revitalizing non-oil sector. ” The projected growth rate for 2026 is around 3.6%, driven mainly by the non-oil sector. This is all the more encouraging as it represents resilient growth for an economy that is restructuring at a slow but reassuring pace. Inflation, which admittedly remains high, has begun to slow down during this period, although it still exceeds the community standard of 3% ,” stated Denis Sassou N’Guesso.
Addressing the issue of debt, whether external, commercial, or multilateral, the President of the Republic stated that it is showing a downward trend. He noted that the government’s efforts to optimize cash flow have facilitated the restructuring of domestic debt to make it more sustainable.
This improvement opens new economic prospects for Congo, thanks to renewed confidence among financial partners. This restored credibility is a beacon of hope for the Congolese banking sector, which is poised to regain its dynamism. ” After more than two decades of absence from international financial markets, the success of the Eurobond issued some time ago is a testament to the restoration of this credibility. In the banking sector, following its establishment in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, Ouesso, and Oyo, the Bank of Central African States will open a branch in Dolisie. Construction will begin after the laying of the foundation stone during my recent tour of the Niari region. This project will revitalize banking activity in this area ,” announced the Head of State.
Equipping the country with a new refinery to resolve the fuel crisis
To permanently resolve the fuel crisis that has plagued Congo for many months, the President of the Republic is focusing on one option: equipping the country with a new oil refinery. The existing one is severely deficient due to its outdated equipment.
The project is currently being implemented in the Pointe-Noire Special Economic Zone by the Chinese company Atlantique Pétrochimie. This refinery is planned to have a scalable processing capacity of 1.5 to 5 million tons per year. The President’s vision is to significantly increase the production of finished hydrocarbon products in order to make them available everywhere in real time.
Regarding the high cost of living which continues to weaken households, Denis Sassou N’Guesso urged the government to redouble its efforts in regulation and commercial governance, by intensifying operations to repress fraud in order to prevent possible speculative shortages organized by some ill-intentioned traders.
