Congo: Operating a Business

Setting Up a Company

Limited Liability Company (LLC/SARL): Number of partners: Minimum one shareholder and one director. The director has to be resident in Congo since at least two years
Capital (max/min): XAF 1 million minimum capital
Shareholders and liability: Liability is limited to the amount contributed.
Public Limited Company (PLC - SA): Number of partners: Minimum one shareholder and one director. The director has to be resident in Congo since at least two years
Capital (max/min): XAF 10 million minimum capital divided into shares
Shareholders and liability: Liability is limited to the extent of the shareholders' contributions
General Partnership (SNC): Number of partners: At least two partners with no maximum.
Capital (max/min): No minimum capital required
Shareholders and liability: Partners have joint and unlimited liability
Limited Partnership (Société en Commandite Simple - SCS): Number of partners: Minimum one with limited liability and one with unlimited liability
Capital (max/min): No minimum capital required
Shareholders and liability: Limited partners who do not participate in management have limited liability. However, general partners or managing partners have joint and unlimited liability

The Competent Organisation: Centres des Formalités administratives des Entreprises (CFE)

Setting Up a Company	Congo	Sub-Saharan Africa
Procedures (number)	11.0	7.5
Time (days)	49.5	21.3

Source: Doing Business.

Business Setup Procedures: Consult Doing Business Website, to know about procedures to start a Business in Congo.

	2018	2019	2020
Labour Force	2,124,150	2,182,726	2,150,245

Source: International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database

Source: International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database

Legal Weekly Duration: According to art. 105 of the Labour Code, the maximum legal weekly working duration is 40 hours.
For agricultural enterprises, the employment hours duration is calculated by year, with a maximum of 2,400 hours.
A rest day per week is mandatory, and it has to consist of at least 24 consecutive hours.
Retirement Age: Age 57 with at least 264 months of contributions for blue-collar workers; age 60 with at least 300 months of contributions for white-collar workers; and age 65 with at least 360 months of contributions for senior executives. For early pension, the age limits are 52, 55 and 60, respectively.
Working Contracts: Employment contracts can be either oral or written. An employment contract must be in written if it is concluded for a fixed term or for a specific task.
Labour Laws: Consult the Labour Code, to obtain a summary of the labour regulations that apply in Congo (in French)

Minimum Wage: The minimum monthly salary in the private sector was XAF 90,000 in 2019 (OLI, latest data available).
Average Wage: Salaries in the Republic of the Congo differ significantly between different jobs. According to Salaryexplorer.com, in 2021 the median salary is around XAF 474,000.
Social Contributions: Social Security Contributions Paid By Employers: 22.78% of covered earnings.
Social Security Contributions Paid By Employees: 4% of covered earnings.

Social Dialogue and Involvement of Social Partners: The law of the Republic of the Congo allows workers to form and join unions without previous authorization or excessive requirements, with the exception of members of the security forces and other services considered “essential for protecting the general interest,” (i.e. armed forces, police, gendarmerie, and some personnel at ports and airports). Unions shall conduct their activities without interference, however unions are reportedly weak and subject to government influence due to corruption. The law provides for the right to bargain collectively.
The right to strike is also guaranteed, provided that workers have exhausted all lengthy and complex conciliation and non-binding arbitration procedures and given due notice. In case of strike, a minimum service in all public services has to be maintained for the general interest.
According to a report by Freedom House, union members are often not adequately protected, and the government has sometimes arrested workers and pressured union leaders.
Labour Unions: Confederation of Free Autonomous Unions of Congo (Confédération des Syndicats Libres Autonomes du Congo - COSYLAC)
Congolese Trade Union Confederation (Confédération syndicale congolaise - CSC)
Unionisation Rate: N/A
Labour Regulation Bodies: Ministry of Interior and Decentralization

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