Within the premises of the Ministry of Social Affairs, computer servers house a national treasure: the Single Social Registry. This database, the largest in the country, currently contains precise information on 852,149 households, representing approximately 3.4 million people.
Behind this technological achievement lies a quiet revolution in how the Congolese state aids the most vulnerable. For the first time in the country’s history, the government knows precisely who the people in need are, where they live, the composition of their household, and their specific problems.
Gone are the days when aid was distributed randomly, when beneficiary lists were inflated, when the most destitute had to wait in line for hours hoping to receive assistance. Now, every social intervention can be targeted with surgical precision.
This register was born from the “Lisungi” program but has outlived it. When the World Bank-supported project ended in February 2024, the state made the strategic choice to keep and enhance this valuable tool. Now integrated into the National Social Safety Nets Program, it serves as the foundation for all social policies: cash transfers, support for micro-enterprises, food aid, and, in the future, disaster response.
“This registry changes everything,” explains an official from the ministry. “Before, we were working blind. Now, we have a precise map of poverty. We can send aid exactly where it is truly needed, without waste, without injustice.”
For registered families, it is the guarantee of being recognized by the state, of not being forgotten, of being able to receive assistance when the need arises. For the country, it is an unprecedented planning tool, which allows for the optimization of every franc invested in social protection.
The creation and sustainability of the Single Social Registry bear the mark of President Denis Sassou-Nguesso’s vision, who made the modernization of social action a priority. By equipping Congo with an effective targeting tool, he is laying the foundations for an efficient, transparent, and worthy social policy.