The Government of the Republic of Congo has signed a $602,000 grant agreement with the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) to rebase its national accounts, a move aimed at modernising the country’s economic statistics and improving fiscal transparency. The agreement was signed on August 4 in Brazzaville by Minister of Economy, Planning and Regional Integration Ludovic Ngatse, who also serves as the Bank’s Governor for Congo, and Leandre Bassole, AfDB’s Director General for Central Africa. The funding is provided through the Bank’s Middle-Income Countries Technical Assistance Fund.
The project will update Congo’s economic indicators by shifting the base year from 2005 and adopting the 2008 System of National Accounts (SNA 2008), with plans to transition to the newly introduced SNA 2025. The latest system includes environmental goods and services in measuring national wealth, which is particularly relevant for resource-rich Congo. The rebasing will also account for underrepresented sectors such as digital services, telecommunications, the informal economy, non-profit institutions, and digital financial services.
Minister Ngatse noted that the initiative would ensure Congo’s GDP better reflects the country’s real economic value. He highlighted that this recalibration could lead to a lower debt ratio, improved macroeconomic indicators, greater transparency, and enhanced credibility with technical and financial partners. It is also expected to strengthen the country’s risk profile, making it easier to mobilize development resources and attract favourable financing terms.
The project is likely to result in a significant upward revision of nominal GDP, lowering debt-to-GDP and deficit-to-GDP ratios, which are critical for debt sustainability assessments. Bassole emphasized that reliable economic data is vital for effective public policy and stronger governance. He added that the rebasing would improve Congo’s standing in international markets and integrate sustainability and environmental considerations into the measurement of national wealth.
Planned for implementation over 18 months, the project is part of Congo’s National Statistics Development Strategy (SNDS II 2022–2026). This strategy focuses on generating reliable, current, and disaggregated data to guide inclusive and equitable development. The initiative underscores the AfDB’s commitment to strengthening statistical systems as a foundation for economic governance, fiscal transparency, and monitoring of the Sustainable Development Goals, in alignment with its Ten-Year Strategy 2024–2033 and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
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