KINSHASA, July 26, 2026 (TOP243NEWS) – The Senate of the Democratic Republic of the Congo has unanimously passed a landmark bill on capital markets, paving the way for the establishment of a comprehensive legal framework to support the development of a national financial market and diversify funding sources for the Congolese economy.
The legislation was approved during the 10th plenary sitting of the Senate’s extraordinary session, chaired by Senate President Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde at the People’s Palace. All 73 senators present voted in favor of the bill, with no votes against and no abstentions.
A Long-Awaited Legal Framework
Presented by the Senate’s Economic, Financial and Oversight Committee (ECOFIN), the bill is the culmination of years of discussions aimed at establishing a functioning capital market in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Committee Chairman Célestin Vunabandi said lawmakers conducted extensive hearings with government officials, financial experts and other stakeholders while reviewing technical amendments designed to strengthen the legislation.
According to the explanatory memorandum presented during the plenary session, the reform seeks to provide the DRC with a modern legal framework for the creation of both a securities exchange and a commodities exchange, in line with international standards of transparency, regulation and investor protection.
Three Strategic Objectives
The new legislation is expected to play a transformative role in the Congolese economy.
First, it provides for the establishment of a Financial Markets Authority (AMF) responsible for regulating, supervising and overseeing capital market activities, ensuring market integrity, transparency and compliance.
Second, the law aims to broaden financing opportunities for businesses. By enabling companies—including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)—to raise capital directly from investors, the reform is designed to complement traditional bank financing and stimulate productive investment.
Finally, the legislation introduces a range of safeguards intended to strengthen investor confidence, including measures to prevent market manipulation, insider trading and other practices that undermine sound financial governance.
Senate Debate Focused on Investor Protection
During the debate, six senators sought additional clarification from the government regarding the effectiveness of the future regulatory framework, particularly on transaction security, investor protection and the institutional credibility of the country’s emerging capital market.
Following the discussions, the Senate unanimously approved the bill.
Next Step: Joint Parliamentary Committee
Because the legislation was adopted in different terms by the National Assembly, it will now be referred to a Joint Parity Committee (CMP) tasked with reconciling the two versions before the bill is submitted for final approval and promulgation by the President of the Republic.
Closing the session, Senate President Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde described the reform as « a decisive step toward the modernization of the Congolese financial system » and an important lever for accelerating the diversification of the national economy.
The adoption of the legislation represents a significant milestone in the DRC’s broader economic reform agenda, aimed at developing domestic capital markets, attracting greater investment and strengthening private sector financing.
Mike Pakoto | TOP243NEWS