A Vision for Youth Inclusion Takes Shape
Brazzaville — The Republic of Congo is working to accelerate youth employment through the Social Protection and Productive Inclusion Project for Youth (PSIPJ). During their third steering committee session, officials approved a roadmap aiming to equip 45,000 young Congolese with marketable skills by 2026.
Of this total, 40,000 learners aged 18 to 35 will receive structured coaching to create or formalize micro-enterprises, while 5,000 will undergo intensive training in trades identified as “high-opportunity” by labor market studies.
Budget Signals Firm Financial Commitment
The 2026 work plan, adopted on December 26, lists 58 activities and carries a price tag of 44.1 billion CFA francs, approximately $73 million at current exchange rates. Funding is secured through a credit from the International Development Association, supplemented by national counterpart resources.
The steering committee chair described this allocation as a “strategic investment in social peace and inclusive growth.” He urged members to closely monitor implementation costs so that “every franc finds its way to a young Congolese in need.”
A Digital Registry at the Project’s Core
A single social registry, still under development, will underpin beneficiary targeting across all departments. The database will compile demographic, biometric, and vulnerability data collected by local agents and verified by community committees—a model inspired by the Lisungi cash transfer program tested over the past decade.
Technicians report that the application coding is 80% complete, but field deployment is delayed due to still-patchy connectivity in several northern districts. The digital development team has recommended satellite links for pilot areas while fiber-optic extensions progress along the national network.
Logistical and Cash Flow Constraints
Beyond ICT, the project faces practical hurdles. Procurement delays have postponed the delivery of training kits ranging from sewing machines to welding masks. Some centers also report late disbursements of transport and meal allowances—essential payments for trainees living in economically precarious situations.
The committee chair acknowledged these bottlenecks but maintained they are “growing pains rather than systemic flaws.” He reminded agencies that the 2026 procurement plan covers 43 contracts, including 11 equipment lots, and that the Public Procurement Directorate has committed to speeding up reviews once files are complete.
Coaching and Market Linkages
The recruitment of training providers and business development coaches is now underway. The terms of reference emphasize hands-on mentorship over lecture-based courses, with performance fees linked to the number of start-ups surviving beyond twelve months or apprentices securing salaried positions.
To boost success rates, the PSIPJ will connect cohorts to municipal one-stop shops where business registration can be finalized in days, not weeks. The Chambers of Commerce in Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire have offered to periodically host job fairs so graduates can showcase their products and services.
Steady Progress Since 2025
While the main target is two years away, early indicators are encouraging. In 2025, the project transferred conditional funds to 10,581 households, injecting 1.26 billion CFA francs into rural and peri-urban economies. Field monitors indicate most allocations were spent on school fees and agricultural inputs.
Training numbers are also rising. Centers in Brazzaville enrolled 1,358 participants, Pointe-Noire 1,142, Dolisie 626, and Ouesso 390. Nationally, 4,926 youth have completed at least one skills module, with an average pass rate of 87% according to provisional data released by the steering committee.
The country manager, speaking via videoconference, praised the momentum. “Congo is demonstrating that social protection and productivity can advance together,” he said. He encouraged managers to publicize graduate stories to inspire peers and reassure taxpayers about the program’s tangible dividends.
Civil society observers welcomed the transparency of the new figures while stressing that graduate tracking must be continuous, not one-off. The organization proposed a mobile survey every six months to collect data on income, business survival, and satisfaction indicators.
Alignment with National Development Goals
The PSIPJ falls under Pillar 3 of Congo’s 2022-2026 National Development Plan, which focuses on human capital accumulation. Economists argue that a one-percent increase in youth employment could boost GDP growth by 0.3 percentage points, strengthening the initiative’s macroeconomic rationale.
For now, the steering committee’s focus is operational. Its next meeting, scheduled for March, will review the registry deployment and the first batch of coaching contracts. “We must move in lockstep,” the chair reminded delegates, “so that by 2026, no willing young Congolese is left behind.”