The Democratic Republic of Congo aims to make its debut in international bond markets, officials said, seizing on soaring metals demand.
Finance Minister Doudou Fwamba Likunde described the bond as the first step in a broader strategy to attract private investment.
The government expects to issue around $750 million, though the timing depends on market conditions, possibly as early as April.
Proceeds will fund major projects, including upgrading N’djili airport, modernising Kinshasa’s roads, and building hydropower plants in rural areas.
Emerging market bond yields are at their lowest since 2008, allowing governments like DR Congo to tap global debt markets.
DRC joins Suriname, Laos, and the Republic of Congo in recent international bond issuances, as frontier economies draw investor attention.
S&P Global Ratings upgraded DRC’s credit outlook to positive, though analysts warn interest rates on the bond may remain in double digits.
The country’s external debt remains low, at 18.5% of GDP, with most borrowing under concessional terms, easing repayment pressures.
Likunde highlighted efforts to secure U.S. backing for the Lobito Corridor railway linking Congo, Angola, and Zambia to the Atlantic coast.
The $530 million U.S. loan, through the International Development Finance Corporation, will support a private company chosen via tender to operate the railway.
The corridor is central to Washington’s strategy to access Africa’s critical minerals and counter China’s growing influence in the region.
“The priority is going into the international capital market, building a curve, and attracting investment into the country,” Likunde said.
DR Congo’s bond issuance represents a calculated gamble amid political instability, offering investors exposure to mineral wealth and infrastructure growth.