DRC Economy Weekly: Airtel overtakes Orange, Gécamines loses $391 million

DRC Economy Weekly is LePoint.cd’s weekly selection for investors: the figures and decisions that matter in the Democratic Republic of Congo, with links to the full data and articles (in French).

1. Airtel overtakes Orange in mobile subscribers

Airtel had 23.66 million active mobile subscribers at the end of June 2026, ahead of Orange (23.33 million) and behind Vodacom (26.55 million), according to the telecom regulator ARPTC. The market reached 77.0 million subscribers, and operators billed $665.6 million in the second quarter, up 5.3% on the first. Telecom data

2. Airtel Money earns more than M-Pesa

In the second quarter of 2026, Airtel Money generated more revenue than Vodacom’s M-Pesa: $71.0 million against $64.9 million, according to ARPTC. Over 2025 as a whole, M-Pesa was still ahead, with $207.0 million against $194.8 million. Airtel RDC in figures

3. Gécamines loses $391 million

The state miner reported a net loss of $391 million for 2025, up from $24 million in 2024, as provisions and depreciation doubled to $630 million while revenue stayed flat at $325 million. The draft auditors’ report attached to the accounts announces a qualified opinion with four reservations. Gécamines in figures

4. Copper exports keep rising, cobalt flows under quotas

Copper exports reached 1.72 million tonnes in the first half of 2026, 4.5% more than a year earlier, according to provisional Ministry of Mines statistics. Cobalt exports, now under quotas, totalled 41,140 tonnes, led by CMOC’s Kisanfu mine, Glencore’s KCC, Metalkol and Tenke Fungurume. Mining data

5. Rate cuts barely reach borrowers

The Central Bank of Congo has halved its policy rate to 12.5% since September 2025, but the average lending rate in Congolese francs only eased from 24.9% at the end of 2024 to 23.3% in September 2026. Deposit rates in francs, however, rose to 8.2%. Banking data

6. Banks: Rawbank and EquityBCDC far ahead

Rawbank’s total assets reached CDF 15,346 billion at the end of 2025 (about $6.8 billion at the bank’s own conversion rate) and EquityBCDC’s CDF 11,920 billion, seven to nine times the next banks. EquityBCDC’s profit rose 8.3% to CDF 370 billion, while Rawbank’s fell 11.9% to CDF 521 billion. Bank-by-bank figures

Sources

ARPTC quarterly report (Q2 2026); Ministry of Mines statistics (H1 2026, provisional); Gécamines 2025 financial statements; Central Bank of Congo interest-rate statistics; banks’ Pillar III reports. Every figure links to its document and page in DATA Économie.