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Country profile · compared with SADC

Democratic Republic of the Congo

SADCEACCOMESACurrency CDF

DRC is home to 112.8m people (2025) and has an economy of $91.0bn (2025), the 3rd largest in SADC. Output per person of $807 is below the regional median of $2,539. The economy grew 5.8% in 2025, and the IMF expects 5.2% in 2026. Inflation was 2.9% in 2016, below the regional median of 3.6%. 22.5% of people have electricity (2024).

Where DRC stands out

  • PopulationThe size of the potential customer base and labour pool.Highest of 16 in SADC. Select for the data card.
    Highest of 16 in SADC
  • General government gross debtHigh public debt raises the risk of tax rises, spending cuts, arrears to suppliers and, in the worst case, default and capital controls.Lowest of 16 in SADC. Select for the data card.
    Lowest of 16 in SADC
  • Renewables share of electricityMatters for exporters facing carbon border taxes, for firms with net-zero targets and for green finance eligibility.Highest of 16 in SADC. Select for the data card.
    Highest of 16 in SADC

What to watch

  • Working-age populationA rising working-age share can lift growth and savings if jobs keep pace.Lowest of 16 in SADC. Select for the data card.
    Lowest of 16 in SADC
  • People without electricityThe size of the unserved market for off-grid solar, mini-grids and grid extension, and a direct measure of development impact.Highest of 16 in SADC. Select for the data card.
    Highest of 16 in SADC
  • Basic drinking waterShows the gap in basic services and the opportunity in water utilities, treatment and distribution.Lowest of 16 in SADC. Select for the data card.
    Lowest of 16 in SADC

DRC scores best on unmet demand and weakest on governance

Scores from 0 to 100 by rank within SADC, against the SADC median. 100 means best in the region on that pillar.

DRCSADC median
Market sizeGrowthStabilityInfrastructureDigital,financeGovernanceUnmetdemand69786516180100
Source: Investor Lens method·dotzedw Insights Centre

The IMF expects DRC to grow 5.2% in 2026

Real GDP growth, per cent a year. Open bars are IMF forecasts.

ActualIMF forecast
0.0%1.0%2.0%3.0%4.0%5.0%6.0%5.8%20255.2%20265.7%20275.5%2028

Ten years of history are free with a Reader account.

Source: IMF·dotzedw Insights Centre

Farming employs 59% of workers but produces 9% of output

Share of jobs in each broad sector against its share of GDP, latest year. A sector with far more jobs than output has low productivity and room to grow.

Share of jobsShare of GDP
0%20%40%60%Agriculture59%9%50 pts apartIndustry8%40%32 pts apartServices33%48%15 pts apart
Source: World Bank, ILO·dotzedw Insights Centre

Key figures

The bar under each figure places it among the 16 countries of SADC, lowest on the left. Hover for context; select for the data card.

DRC on the map

Its 26 provinces and 189 territories, shaded by population, power, water, transport and more; circles sized by value; or power lines, roads and masts on a street map.

Open the full map
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How DRC generates electricity

Share of electricity generation by source, latest year.

CoalGasOilWindNuclearBioenergy and otherHydroSolar

No electricity data for Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The history of the power mix is part of the Individual plan

US$19 a month or US$190 a year. Subscribe on dotzedw.com and you come straight back to this page with Individual access. Already a member? Sign in with your dotzedw.com account.

Source: Ember, Energy Institute· Get the data (Professional)·dotzedw Insights Centre

Politics, parliament and elections

Compare all countries

The directly elected President holds most executive power and appoints a Prime Minister from the Assembly majority. Félix Tshisekedi took office in 2019 in the country's first transfer of power through the ballot box, and his Sacred Union coalition holds more than 90% of National Assembly seats after the disputed December 2023 elections. Voting could not be held in parts of North Kivu because of the M23 conflict.

Now: Parliament passed a referendum law in June 2026 and the Constitutional Court approved it in July 2026. It would let the President amend the Constitution through a constituent process, which opponents say opens the way to a third term; no referendum date had been set by September 2026. The M23 rebellion, which took Goma and Bukavu in early 2025, continues despite the US-brokered and Doha agreements.
Sources: Africanews
President
Félix Tshisekedi (UDPS), since 24 Jan 2019
Prime Minister
Judith Suminwa Tuluka, since 12 Jun 2024
How the executive is chosen
Directly elected in a single round; the candidate with most votes wins
Term and limits
Five years; a president may serve at most two terms (an article the Constitution bars from amendment)
Governing
Sacred Union of the Nation: UDPS, USN
In power since
UDPS, 2019 (7 years)
Joseph Kabila's coalition kept its parliamentary majority until Tshisekedi formed the Sacred Union in 2021.
Next national election
December 2028 (general)
Tshisekedi's second term ends in January 2029.

The Sacred Union of the Nation holds 328 of 500 seats, a two-thirds majority

National Assembly, seats as of 15 Dec 2024. List PR; 5-year term

500seatsMajority 251 · Two thirds 334 (dashed lines)
  • USN258
  • UDPS70
  • SMALL138
  • CARRY16
  • ENS18
How seats are filled
Elected by open-list proportional representation in multi-member constituencies and first past the post in single-member ones. Sixteen members from the previous legislature sit for constituencies in Masisi, Rutshuru and Kwamouth where voting could not be held.
Powers
Passes laws and the budget and can censure the government; the President can dissolve it.
Special majority
Two thirds of both chambers in joint session can amend the Constitution without a referendum (three fifths with one). The governing side has it.
Elections
Last 20 Dec 2023; next December 2028

The Sacred Union holds more than 90% of seats; the split of the smaller groups is not tracked here.

Source: National Assembly (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (Wikipedia)·dotzedw Insights Centre

Senate: 109 members

Senate. Indirect; 5-year term

Seat make-up not recorded.

How seats are filled
Indirectly elected by the provincial assemblies. 108 senators elected by the 26 provincial assemblies, plus former elected presidents as senators for life.
Powers
Shares law-making with the National Assembly and must approve constitutional amendments.
Elections
Last 29 Apr 2024; next 2029
Source: Senate (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (Wikipedia)·dotzedw Insights Centre

What the record shows

  • Power has changed hands through the ballot box in 2018; UDPS has governed since 2019.
  • The last presidential election, in 2023, was a landslide: the winner took 73.5%, 55 points ahead of the runner-up.
  • The governing side holds 328 of 500 seats in the National Assembly, enough on its own to amend the Constitution (two thirds or more).
  • Turnout was 43% in 2023, down from 71% in 2006.
  • V-Dem's clean elections score is 18 out of 100, little changed from 15 in 2015.

Parliamentary elections

Every lower-house election since 1990: the largest party's share of the vote and of the seats, and turnout of registered voters. Open circles mark a change of government.

Largest party: votesLargest party: seatsTurnout
0%20%40%60%80%100%201020152020HalfTwo thirds45.4%Turnout14.3%Largest party: seats
Source: Official results, V-Dem·dotzedw Insights Centre

The winner's lead over the runner-up was 55 points in 2023

First-round share of the valid vote for the winner and the runner-up in each presidential election since 1990.

WinnerRunner-up
0%20%40%60%80%100%201020152020Half73.5%Winner18.3%Runner-up
Source: Official results, V-Dem·dotzedw Insights Centre

Every national election

DateElectionResultTurnoutNotes
20 Dec 2023PresidentialPresidential, 2023Félix Tshisekedi (UDPS)73.5%Moïse Katumbi (ENS)18.3%Martin Fayulu (ECIDE)4.9%Félix Tshisekedi (UDPS) 73.5%; Moïse Katumbi (ENS) 18.3%42.6%Disputed
2023ParliamentLargest party 69 seats; Second party 35 seatsn/a V-Dem
2018ParliamentLargest party 50 seats; Second party 41 seats45.4% V-Dem
2018PresidentialPresidential, 2018Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo38.6%Runner-up34.8%Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo 38.6%; Runner-up 34.8%45.4%Change of power V-Dem
28 Nov 2011ParliamentPPRD 62 seats; UDPS 41 seats59.0% V-Dem
2011PresidentialPresidential, 2011Joseph Kabila Kabange49.0%Runner-up32.3%Joseph Kabila Kabange 49.0%; Runner-up 32.3%59.0% V-Dem

Checked 30 Sept 2026. Not yet recorded: The 2023 National Assembly result by party is not recorded here; V-Dem's figures for the largest party are used.

Election calendar

All elections

Hover a vote for its result and what it means.

  • December 2028
    General election
    DRC: General electionAt risk: President Tshisekedi has said elections may not be possible while fighting continues in the east, and a referendum law could open the way to changing presidential term limits.Sources: Al Jazeera, Africanews
    Expected
  • 20 Dec 2023
    General electionWon by Félix Tshisekedi
    DRC: General electionResult: Félix Tshisekedi re-elected with about 73% of the vote; the opposition disputed the process.Mining policy, the conflict in the east and the push to revise the constitution before 2028 shape the investment climate.Sources: Wikipedia
    Held

Deals and projects

Every deal in DRC

Individual Every deal record with its parties, value, stage and sources.

dotzedw analysis on DRC

All analysis

Sources and method