The government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is set to enforce a new regulatory framework for small businesses and retail trade. On October 2, 2026, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy, Daniel Mukoko Samba, met with stakeholders in Kinshasa to discuss the decree n°26/011 of March 30, 2026, which outlines the measures for exercising small commerce and retail trade in the country. The decree aims to organize the market and promote fair competition.
Mukoko Samba emphasized that the new regulations are not intended to restrict the freedom to undertake business or to oppose Congolese operators to foreign operators. Rather, the goal is to organize the market and ensure that each actor in the chain has a clear role and utility. The Deputy Prime Minister stressed that the economy needs producers, importers, wholesalers, distributors, and retailers, and that the rules must be clear to allow each actor to develop in conditions of balanced competition.
The government plans to implement the new regulations in a phased manner, starting with a period of voluntary compliance. Mukoko Samba announced that the competent services will proceed with checks on compliance in the coming days, but the government prefers to encourage operators to regularize their situation voluntarily. The Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that the objective is not to sanction, but to organize and clean up the market.
The small business and retail trade sector is a significant part of the daily economic activity in the DR Congo. The government believes that the application of the new decree will help to better regulate this sector and clean up the conditions of competition. Mukoko Samba called on operators who are already complying with the new regulations to continue their activities, while those who are not yet in compliance are urged to regularize their situation.
The meeting in Kinshasa brought together several institutional actors and representatives of the private sector, including the main employers' organizations and professional associations. The government aims to make known the new rules before their effective application. The stakeholders present included the Federation of Congolese Enterprises (FEC), COPEMECO, COFECCO, NCCN-RDC, CMBB, and ADECC.
The government plans to conduct a control phase on the ground, but it remains to be seen how this phase will be conducted and how small business operators will concretely appropriate the new regulations. Mukoko Samba's message to traders is clear: those who respect the rules can continue their activities, while those who do not comply will face the consequences provided by the regulations.
The Deputy Prime Minister's call for compliance is part of a broader effort to promote economic growth and development in the DR Congo. The government aims to create a favorable business environment that encourages investment and job creation. By organizing the market and promoting fair competition, the government hopes to increase economic efficiency and improve the living standards of Congolese citizens.
Key points
- The DR Congo government has introduced new regulations for small businesses and retail trade to promote fair competition and organize the market.
- Deputy Prime Minister Daniel Mukoko Samba has urged operators to comply with the new regulations, emphasizing that the goal is not to sanction, but to organize and clean up the market.
- The government plans to implement the regulations in a phased manner, starting with a period of voluntary compliance.
