Bridging the Gap of Financial Inclusion in DRC

A case study by FSD Africa detailing a four-year partnership with Equity BCDC to increase financial inclusion in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) through an agency banking model called Equity BCDC Express, which expanded services to 18 of the country's 26 provinces.

• The Democratic Republic of Congo faces significant financial exclusion, with approximately 70% of adults lacking access to formal financial services and an estimated 62% of the population living on less than $2 per day. Barriers to access include low trust in the financial system, a lack of identification documentation, and underdeveloped infrastructure.
• Starting in 2019, FSD Africa and Equity BCDC implemented the 'Equity BCDC Express' Master Agency strategy to reach rural and peri-urban communities across 18 of the DRC's 26 provinces. This initiative established a network of more than 5,000 agents, resulting in the opening of over 650,000 new accounts for clients to save money.
• To overcome infrastructure gaps in rural areas, Equity BCDC partnered with private sector entities to provide agents with renewable power sources and internet connectivity for a web-based account opening solution. Additionally, the bank introduced a micro-loan scoring tool and is piloting group lending to provide clients with capital.
• The project concluded in April 2024 after four years. The initiative aimed to address the financial needs of the 73% of the DRC population that remains financially excluded.

APA

Inc, K. (2024). Bridging the Gap of Financial Inclusion in DRC. FSD Africa. https://fsdafrica.org/bridging-the-gap-of-financial-inclusion-in-drc/

Chicago

Inc, Kihingu. Bridging the Gap of Financial Inclusion in DRC. FSD Africa, 2024. https://fsdafrica.org/bridging-the-gap-of-financial-inclusion-in-drc/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Inc |first1=Kihingu |title=Bridging the Gap of Financial Inclusion in DRC |publisher=FSD Africa |date=7 June 2024 |url=https://fsdafrica.org/bridging-the-gap-of-financial-inclusion-in-drc/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{inc2024bridging, author = {Inc, Kihingu}, title = {{Bridging the Gap of Financial Inclusion in DRC}}, institution = {FSD Africa}, year = {2024}, month = jun, url = {https://fsdafrica.org/bridging-the-gap-of-financial-inclusion-in-drc/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }