Republic of Congo, AfDB Sign Grant to Modernize National Accounts and Boost Transparency

This statistical modernization will not only improve fiscal transparency but also enhance Congo’s standing on international financial markets, making it more attractive to foreign investors and lenders.

The Government of the Republic of Congo and the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) have signed a $602,000 grant agreement to support the rebasing of Congo’s national accounts, a major reform aimed at modernising the country’s economic statistics, enhancing fiscal transparency, and improving investor confidence.

The agreement was signed on 4 August 2025 in Brazzaville by Ludovic Ngatse, Minister of the Economy, Planning and Regional Integration and AfDB Governor for Congo, and Léandre Bassolé, AfDB’s Director General for Central Africa. The financing is provided through the Bank’s Middle-Income Countries Technical Assistance Fund.

Updating National Accounts for a Modern Economy

The project will update the base year for calculating key economic indicators from 2005 to a more recent period, aligning with the 2008 System of National Accounts (SNA 2008) and paving the way for eventual adoption of the SNA 2025, a new UN statistical framework.

SNA 2025 introduces innovative elements such as measuring environmental goods and services in national wealth—an especially relevant reform for Congo, a resource-rich nation with vast forests that play a crucial role in global climate regulation.

The rebasing will also better reflect underrepresented sectors such as:

• Digital services and telecommunications.

• The informal economy, which employs a large share of Congolese workers.

• Non-profit institutions and civil society contributions.

• Expanding digital financial services.

Minister Ngatse stressed the transformative impact of the reform: “This project aims to ensure that Congo's GDP reflects its true value. The debt ratio may fall significantly, and some macroeconomic indicators will improve, enhancing our country's transparency and credibility with technical and financial partners. The rebasing also offers a powerful lever for improving our risk profile and mobilizing more resources for development.”

Boosting Fiscal Transparency and Market Confidence

A significant upward revision of Congo’s nominal GDP is expected. This recalibration would reduce the country’s debt-to-GDP and deficit-to-GDP ratios—two of the most critical benchmarks used by investors and multilateral institutions to assess debt sustainability.

This statistical modernization will not only improve fiscal transparency but also enhance Congo’s standing on international financial markets, making it more attractive to foreign investors and lenders.

Léandre Bassolé underlined the importance of credible data: “Credible economic data is essential for steering and implementing effective public policies. This recalibration will anchor Congo’s economic decisions in today’s reality, strengthen governance, improve visibility on markets, and enable the integration of sustainability and environmental criteria into national wealth measurement.”

Data-Driven Development and Governance

The project will be implemented over 18 months as part of Congo’s National Statistics Development Strategy (SNDS II 2022-2026), which focuses on generating reliable, up-to-date, and disaggregated data to inform policymaking and promote equitable development.

It aligns with Congo’s broader governance reforms to:

• Strengthen public finance management.

• Improve budget transparency and accountability.

• Track progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The initiative also reflects the AfDB’s long-term vision. By investing in robust statistical systems, the Bank aims to make data a cornerstone of governance and development, consistent with its Ten-Year Strategy (2024-2033) and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.

A Strategic Shift for Economic Policy

Experts note that rebasing exercises often reveal economies to be significantly larger than previously recorded, changing a country’s macroeconomic profile and improving access to credit. For Congo, where debt sustainability and resource dependence remain pressing concerns, this reform could unlock new opportunities for fiscal resilience and sustainable growth.

By modernising its national accounts, Congo is positioning itself to benefit from greater international credibility, improved policymaking, and stronger development partnerships—an important step for a country seeking to diversify its economy and manage its natural resource wealth more effectively.