BRAZZAVILLE, Republic of Congo, October 3, 2025 – More than 100 Congolese companies have been added to the African Development Bank’s (AfDB) supplier database following a training seminar aimed at strengthening local participation in the Bank’s procurement processes.
The session, held in Brazzaville on 24 September 2025, was part of preparations for the AfDB’s Annual Meetings scheduled for May 2026 in Brazzaville. It brought together business leaders across sectors to better understand the Bank’s procurement rules and contract management procedures.
“The main objective of the seminar is to raise awareness among companies operating in the Republic of Congo about the Bank’s rules and procedures. This will help prepare them for contract opportunities with the Bank in the context of the Annual Meetings and even beyond,” said Olivier Beguy, Country Economist at the Bank’s Liaison Office in Congo, representing the Bank’s Director-General for Central Africa, Léandre Bassolé.
The meeting not only familiarized participants with AfDB’s institutional processes but also helped the Bank identify potential new service providers ahead of next year’s high-profile meetings.
According to the AfDB, its institutional procurement volume reached $103 million in 2024, yet only 0.09% of that went to Congolese suppliers.
In his remarks, Ludovic Ngatsé, Minister of the Economy, Planning and Regional Integration, and the Bank’s Governor for Congo, emphasized the need for stronger local participation:
“The Bank’s projects and programmes represent considerable contract volumes, and our collective ambition is for Congolese companies to capture a significant share of them.”
Following the event, more than 100 firms from diverse sectors were successfully prequalified, paving the way for their participation in service contracts related to the Annual Meetings.
Marcelle Akposso, Head of the Bank’s Institutional Procurement Division, praised the quality of the participating firms, saying it “reinforces our belief that we will have competent suppliers for our next Annual Meetings, where their services will be in high demand.”
The AfDB has maintained a long-standing partnership with the Republic of Congo since 1970, financing projects valued at $1.27 billion. As of June 2025, its active portfolio in the country includes nine sovereign operations worth $223.3 million across multiple sectors.
