72-Hour Business Registration Sets New Regional Standard
Entrepreneurs in Brazzaville can now visit the Congolese Agency for Business Creation and leave three days later with a fully registered company – a record speed in Central Africa that officials hope will unlock a wave of private sector jobs.
Established under Law 16-2017 under Minister Jacqueline Lydia Mikolo’s supervision, ACPCE aims to replace lengthy permits with a service culture focused on competitiveness, says Director General Emeriand Dieu-Merci Kibangou in a state radio interview.
How ACPCE Reduces Bureaucracy
The agency’s one-stop shop brings together tax, social security, and notary services under one roof, issuing a free single business license that outlines tax and reporting obligations, reducing paperwork that previously required visits to half a dozen ministries.
Registration fees have dropped to 25,000 CFA francs (about $40 USD), and entrepreneurs only need an ID card and lease agreement – a package Kibangou jokingly calls an “exorcism” of the bureaucratic ghosts that once haunted business founders.
Physical counters operate in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, Dolisie, Nkayi, Owando, and Ouesso, ensuring national coverage while regional peers still centralize services in their capitals, according to Economic Community of Central Africa data.
A digital queue management system issues tickets via smartphone to prevent morning lines; average wait time at the Brazzaville counter dropped from two hours in 2021 to 23 minutes in April, per agency internal audit.
“One Youth, One Business” Youth Initiative
A flagship youth measure, the One Youth, One Business campaign launched this year, providing workshops, mentoring, and startup capital with UN Development Programme support; officials list 2,579 beneficiaries and funding commitments up to five billion CFA francs.
“I opened my cleaning cooperative in three days and saved enough to buy equipment,” says 24-year-old Merveille Mpassi, an early program participant who plans to hire four colleagues by December.
Kibangou argues early success relies on post-registration coaching: “We don’t stop at the birth certificate. With partners, we track cash flows and help owners pivot before difficulties become fatal,” he explains.
The National Employment Fund complements this with free accounting software and group labor law advice, ensuring new CEOs understand their obligations to Social Security and Mandatory Health Insurance.
Women Entrepreneurs Gaining Ground
Women accounted for 26.2% of new businesses in 2024, exceeding 28% in Pool Department – a trend praised by sociologist Clarisse Ngoma, who links this growth to expanded microfinance windows and digital marketing courses in district youth centers.
She notes gender gaps persist in heavy industry but observes that service-oriented platforms like e-commerce and agritech demand