Small loans for income-generating activities in the Congo
Microcredit in Congo-Brazzaville is provided by licensed microfinance institutions supervised by COBAC, led by MUCODEC, and by public schemes such as the Kolisa loan guaranteed by FIGA for informal traders and craftspeople.
Three categories of MFI under COBAC rules
In CEMAC, microfinance institutions are classed according to whether they collect savings from their members only, from the public, or lend without collecting deposits. This category determines which products a Congolese MFI may legally offer its customers.
The Mutuelles Congolaises d'Épargne et de Crédit network
MUCODEC is the country's largest mutual network, with branches in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire and the main town of each department. A member must save first, and the loan amount often depends on the savings built up.
Other MFIs active in Congolese towns
MUPROCOM and Cofina were among the microfinance institutions listed in the Congo. Before depositing money or signing a contract, check that the MFI appears on the official list of institutions licensed by the monetary authorities.
The FIGA-guaranteed Kolisa loan
In late 2025, 150 micro-entrepreneurs in Mindouli, in the Pool department, received Kolisa loans of 50,000 to 100,000 FCFA at a subsidised rate. FIGA provided the guarantee and CADC the technical follow-up, with an incentive to formalise the activity.
Dolisie: funding for craftspeople and traders
In 2025, FIGA financed 159 craftspeople and traders in Dolisie, with amounts ranging from 300,000 to 2 million FCFA. Market gardeners, restaurant owners, photographers and IT workers were among the beneficiaries of this operation in Niari.
FIGA's 2025 results in figures
In 2025, FIGA provided start-up support to 9,924 promoters, coached 1,634 project holders and guaranteed 2,281 beneficiaries, mobilising more than one billion FCFA for access to credit. It becomes an industrial and commercial public body in 2026.
Solidarity groups and mutual guarantees
Some MFIs lend to groups of women traders who stand surety for one another. If one member fails to repay, the group covers the instalment, a mechanism close to tontines and peer lending in the Congo.
Rates higher than at the banks
The cost of managing small loans, field monitoring and high risk explain rates above those of banks. The APR must nevertheless stay below the quarterly usury ceiling and be clearly stated in the contract given to the customer.
Repaying through MTN MoMo or Airtel Money
Several MFIs accept repayments from electronic wallets, which saves traders from leaving their stall to visit a branch. Each transfer carries operator fees and generates a receipt that should be kept until the loan is closed.
Farmers and market gardeners on the urban fringe
Market gardeners in Brazzaville's green belt and cassava growers often borrow small sums for seeds and inputs. Schemes dedicated to rural areas are presented in the guide to farm loans in the Congo.
Struggling MFIs: protecting your savings
COBAC can place a failing MFI under provisional administration or withdraw its licence. An unusually high savings rate, refused withdrawals or branches closed without explanation are all warning signs that Congolese depositors should take seriously.
From microcredit to bank financing
A trader who has repaid several microcredit cycles can aim for a larger loan, particularly with a FIGA guarantee. The overview of credit in the Republic of the Congo places microfinance alongside the commercial banks.
Getting a first microloan from a Congolese MFI
- Check that the microfinance institution is on the list of licensed MFIs in the Congo before depositing anything.
- Join the mutual or open an account, then build up the required prior savings over several weeks.
- Present your activity to the loan officer with estimated turnover, stock and place of sale.
- Name a guarantor, a solidarity group or a FIGA guarantee where the scheme allows it.
- Sign the loan contract, collect the funds and stick to the agreed weekly or monthly instalments.
Costs and amounts of microloans in the Congo
| Item | Example or rule | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Kolisa loan in Mindouli | 50,000 to 100,000 FCFA, indicative | Subsidised rate, FIGA guarantee |
| FIGA funding in Dolisie | 300,000 to 2 million FCFA, indicative | 2025 operation for craftspeople and traders |
| Prior savings at a mutual | Set by the branch | Often blocked during the loan |
| MFI interest rate | Higher than at banks | Must respect the usury ceiling |
| Mobile money fees | Operator's tariff | Depends on amount and network |
What a Congolese MFI asks for a small loan
- National ID card or voter card, depending on the branch
- Passport photos and proof of residence
- Written description of the activity and its location
- Savings book or statement from the mutual
- Guarantor undertaking or solidarity group agreement
- RCCM entry or certificate of activity for FIGA schemes
Frequent microcredit pitfalls in the Congo
- Using a business microloan for a family expense, then lacking the stock needed to earn the takings for weekly repayments.
- Entrusting your savings to an unlicensed outfit that promises high rates and vanishes with members' deposits.
- Paying fees to a fake agent claiming to represent FIGA, when public schemes never go through paid intermediaries.
- Taking several microloans from different MFIs to repay one with another, a spiral now visible to the CICA credit bureau.
Lenders to contact
- Crédit du Congo: Commercial bank in the Republic of the Congo, part of the Attijariwafa bank group, providing accounts and loans to individuals and companies.
Congolese microfinance: questions from traders and craftspeople
Who can benefit from the Kolisa loan?
The Kolisa loan targets traders, craftspeople and informal workers who have no access to bank credit. During the Mindouli operation, the authorities stressed that formalising the activity was needed to remain eligible for later funding.
Do you need to save before borrowing from MUCODEC?
Generally yes. The mutual model relies on members' savings, and the branch sets the amount that can be lent according to the savings built up and length of membership. Each local branch communicates its precise rules.
How can you tell whether an MFI is licensed in the Congo?
Ask for the licence number and compare it with the list published by the monetary authorities or available from the BEAC and COBAC. An institution unable to show its licence should be avoided.
Does FIGA lend money directly?
FIGA works mainly through start-up support, guarantees and coaching, often alongside financial partners. Terms vary from one programme to another, which is why it is worth asking its services directly.