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Republic of Congo (Congo-Brazzaville)

The Republic of Congo (Congo-Brazzaville) is one of the biggest oil producers in sub-Saharan Africa, yet a third of the Congolese people live below the poverty line due to corruption and mismanagement of the oil sector. Read more

Oil is the lifeblood of the economy of the Republic of Congo (Congo-Brazzaville), accounting for around three quarters of the country’s revenues, yet the people of Congo barely benefit from the country’s oil industry due to a mixture of mismanagement and corruption. A third of the Congolese people live below the poverty line.

Meanwhile, multinational oil companies work in conjunction with Congo-Brazzaville ’s opaque national oil company and other key private and public sector institutions captured by a clique surrounding President Sassou Nguesso, the authoritarian leader of Congo-Brazzaville for over three decades.

Instead of experiencing economic development, Congo-Brazzaville has had part of its wealth siphoned off for the benefit of President Sassou’s family and allies. Oil majors continue to profit and the industry continues to boom, threatening to derail worldwide efforts to combat climate change.

Global Witness has worked since the early 2000s to expose opaque oil deals involving offshore companies that have fuelled lavish spending sprees by, among others, President Sassou Nguesso’s son. Our research has also shown how secretive companies linked to individuals close to Sassou Nguesso’s regime have done well in the oil industry, sometimes taking shares in blocks run by oil giants like Total and Eni.

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