The Economic Activity of Congo

The economy of the Republic of the Congo has rich agricultural and industrial sectors with the latter giving the most revenues for the country. The Congo’s oil production is yet the number one economic asset of the country, with 90% of the country’s exports mainly on oil and petroleum products. Its growing production of oil and petroleum products makes the Republic of the Congo one of the top oil producing countries in Africa.

The Congo’s oil industry is dominated by Total which is a French oil company, followed by an Italian oil company in the name of ENI. Other oil companies who are smaller players compared to Total are Chevron and Murphy Oil. Other companies in connection with the industry are the American companies of Baker-Hughes, Halliburton, and Weatherford.

The country’s agricultural sector produces coffee, sugar, tea, rubber, and cotton for commercial trade with other countries, and cassava, banana, corn, and fruits and vegetables for their own necessities.

After so many years of a tragic economic downfall, the Congo has now proven itself and risen from its decline. A growing number of foreign investments in the country plus good trade relationships with other countries open the country’s doors to continuous economic growth and development. It exports diamonds, copper, cobalt, gold, coffee, and crude oil to countries such as China, Belgium, Finland, USA and Zambia, with China being its leading export trading partner. Although the Congo has enough number of resources, it still imports food, mining products, machinery, transport equipment, and fuel from other countries like South Africa, Belgium, Zambia, Zimbabwe, China, Kenya and France, with South Africa being its number one import trading partner.