Since Monday, Kinshasa has been hosting the Estates General of the Portfolio, a meeting intended to redefine the role and future of public companies. After more than twenty years of reforms, the challenges remain titanic: funding at half mast, an excessive wage bill which is stifling resources, and state debts which have still not been settled. These obstacles not only compromise their competitiveness, but also their ability to contribute effectively to the national economy. What solutions, for what problems?
2 mins
with our correspondent in Kinshasa, Patient Ligodi
Some 80% of public companies in DRC are in difficulty or in undeclared bankruptcy, according to the consolidated report on their financial situation included in the draft Finance Law for 2025.
Among the problems identified, there is the question of debt. It amounts to approximately 1.5 billion US dollars. Urgent measures are needed as suggested by Alex N’kusu. He is executive secretary of the State Portfolio Enterprise Reform Steering Committee (COPIREP). “ Implement a debt policy for public companies. This policy must come from the State shareholder: we must specify under what conditions we can get into debt and then sit down to say: here are the debts of each public company, how can we restructure it? How to finance it? »
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The other problem identified is the payroll of these companies. It absorbs a very large part of resources, leaving little or no margin to finance other needs. It consumed 84% of the added value generated by these companies in 2022 alone.
“ It will necessarily be necessary to develop and implement social plans which will (take charge of) each social problem which is imposed on the company. (Again) will it be necessary to find funding to be able to execute these social plans », Continues Alex N’kusu.
Another challenge is transparency and financial communication. The statistics on the transmission of financial statements and auditors’ reports to the Court of Auditors in particular show a lack of rigor on the part of many public companies, other experts denounce.
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