The “Lisungi” social protection program, implemented jointly with the World Bank from 2015 to 2023, marked a turning point in the social history of the Republic of Congo. With 76,000 people receiving conditional cash transfers and another 95,000 beneficiaries of grants for starting micro-enterprises, more than 171,000 Congolese were directly supported.
Beyond the numbers, the program’s most lasting legacy lies in its institutionalization. When the project ended in late February 2024, the Congolese government made a crucial decision: rather than letting the developed mechanisms disappear, it integrated them into the National Social Safety Net Program.
The Unified Social Registry, which now contains data on 852,149 households, representing approximately 3.4 million people, has become a central tool for government planning. The digital payment platform, which enables direct and secure transfers, has eliminated the risk of corruption. The beneficiary targeting methodology ensures that aid reaches those who need it most.
“What was a temporary project has become a permanent function of the state,” explains a ministerial official. “Now, social protection is no longer a matter of international funding cycles, but a right guaranteed by the national budget.”
This vision of sustainable and sovereign social protection bears the imprint of President Denis Sassou-Nguesso, who personally decided to maintain and strengthen these mechanisms after the withdrawal of international partners. His commitment to a sustainable social policy is now transforming the daily lives of thousands of Congolese families.