ETS ALBARTOS

This case study describes the operational challenges faced by ETS ALBARTOS, a commodity trading company established in 1992 in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. The company reports significant barriers to business growth, including systemic corruption, inefficient administrative procedures for permits and imports, poor infrastructure, and difficulties in accessing bank loans.

• ETS ALBARTOS faces severe administrative and fiscal challenges in the Democratic Republic of Congo, characterized by long, costly customs procedures and a complex tax system. The company reports that dishonest customs agents often over-tax importers, forcing businesses to hire consultants to avoid being "ripped off".
• Systemic corruption and political interference are major barriers to business efficiency. The company notes that corruption exists from political authorities down to low-ranked public administration officials, and that politicians frequently interfere in the private sector for personal advantage.
• The process for obtaining formal business licenses and permits is highly inefficient. While creating a Private Limited Company through formal routes can take several years, negotiating with authorities can reduce this timeframe to 3 to 6 months.
• Importing commodities involves a slow, multi-departmental quality control process involving the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Agriculture, Fishing and Livestock, and the Congolese Standards Bureau. This process, which includes obtaining licenses and testing samples, takes an average of 10 days.
• Financial and infrastructural barriers further hinder the company's growth. These include difficulty obtaining loans from local banks, exchange losses due to fluctuations in the Congolese Franc, and poor quality transport infrastructure and electricity.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2012). ETS ALBARTOS. https://saiia.org.za/saiia-toolkit/ets-albartos/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. ETS ALBARTOS. 2012. https://saiia.org.za/saiia-toolkit/ets-albartos/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=ETS ALBARTOS |date=24 July 2012 |url=https://saiia.org.za/saiia-toolkit/ets-albartos/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2012ets, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{ETS ALBARTOS}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2012}, month = jul, url = {https://saiia.org.za/saiia-toolkit/ets-albartos/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }