A quiet but consequential shift is underway in Africa’s economic order. The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), long defined by paradox vast wealth amid deep poverty,is now projected to become sub-Saharan Africa’s fifth-largest economy in 2026.
This is not speculation. Projections from the International Monetary Fund place the DRC’s GDP at around $123 billion, narrowly ahead of Ethiopia. It is a symbolic but significant milestone in the reshaping of Africa’s economic hierarchy.
For a country once written off as a perennial underperformer, this moment demands context.
The DRC’s economic story has never been about lack of resources. With mineral reserves often described as among the richest on earth, particularly cobalt and copper,the country has always held strategic global importance. Yet history intervened. From the extractive rule of Mobutu Sese Seko to the devastation of the Second Congo War, the Congolese state struggled to convert resource wealth into national prosperity.
Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines
Even in the postwar years, governance challenges and institutional fragility under Joseph Kabila slowed economic transformation. The result was a country rich in potential but poor in outcomes,what many termed Africa’s “sleeping giant.”
That narrative, however, is shifting under Félix Tshisekedi.
Since taking office in 2019, Tshisekedi has presided over a period of relative political stabilization, marked by the country’s first peaceful transfer of power. That alone altered investor perception. But more importantly, his administration has leaned into the DRC’s comparative advantage: minerals critical to the global energy transition.
Today, the DRC is the world’s leading producer of cobalt and a major supplier of copper,both essential to electric vehicles and renewable energy systems. As global demand accelerates, capital has followed. This mining boom, combined with renewed investor confidence, is directly powering the country’s economic ascent.
Yet this rise is not purely accidental. Tshisekedi’s government has pursued re-engagement with international financial institutions, improved fiscal discipline, and cautiously sought to rebalance mining contracts to ensure greater national benefit. The result is an economy increasingly integrated into global supply chains at a moment when those supply chains are being reconfigured.
Still, there is reason for caution.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
The DRC’s growth model remains heavily resource-driven, leaving it exposed to commodity price swings. Persistent insecurity in the east and deep structural poverty,despite vast national wealth,continue to challenge inclusive development.
And so the real question is not whether the DRC becomes Africa’s fifth largest economy. The IMF projections suggest it will. The deeper question is whether this milestone becomes a foundation—or a ceiling.
Because history offers a warning: resource wealth alone does not guarantee prosperity. But leadership, timing, and global relevance can change trajectories.
For now, the signs are unmistakable. The DRC is no longer merely a country of potential. It is becoming a country of consequence.
————————————
Daniel Makokera is a renowed media personality who has worked as journalist, television anchor, producer and conference presenter for over 20 years. Throughout his career as presenter and anchor, he has travelled widely across the continent and held exclusive interviews with some of Africa’s most illustrious leaders. These include former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, former South African presidents Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki, former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and presidents Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe and Joseph Kabila of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He currently is the CEO of Pamuzinda Productions based in South Africa.
