Since being placed under provisional administration in June 2022, and subsequently under a resolution regime in January 2023, Afriland First Bank RDC has been navigating a critical financial period. The bank's difficulties have escalated, culminating in a negative net banking income (NBI) of $4.68 million as of the end of December 2025, a stark contrast to the positive NBI of $2.241 billion recorded by the Congolese banking sector as a whole.
This alarming situation, where financial expenses exceed the revenue generated by banking activity, directly impacts the bank's ability to meet its obligations. Concrete examples, such as salary payment delays for healthcare workers in Gbadolite, illustrate the extent of the problems encountered. The bank has also lost significant contracts for salary payments to teachers and operational funds for schools in several regions, affecting approximately 29,513 employees and 2,039 schools, representing monthly flows of around 12 billion Congolese francs.
Concurrently, the quality of the loan portfolio has deteriorated. Out of a total of $175 million in gross loans, only 21.6% ($37.8 million) are considered performing. Faced with this situation, Afriland has had to set aside provisions for non-performing loans amounting to $131.9 million.
Losses recorded in 2025 amounted to $50.4 million, with negative equity of $116.9 million. This situation exacerbates the bank's recapitalization needs, especially since banks operating in the DRC must maintain a minimum capital of $50 million since January 2025. As early as March 2022, the Central Bank of Congo (BCC) estimated Afriland's recapitalization needs at around $90 million.
The majority shareholder, Afriland First Group (AFG), controlled by Cameroonian businessman Paul Kammogne Fokam, disputes the BCC's assessment and denounces an "expropriation" of its subsidiary. AFG has initiated arbitration proceedings before the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) to challenge this eviction and seek compensation.
In a statement published on February 12, 2026, AFG clarified that it no longer exercises any operational, managerial, or financial control over Afriland First Bank RDC since July 2021, when the Congolese State and the BCC removed it from the subsidiary's capital. The financial situation of Afriland First Bank RDC remains concerning, with a high risk of the historical majority shareholder being wiped out. Resolving this banking crisis is crucial for the stability of the Congolese financial sector.
The future of Afriland First Bank RDC is now in the hands of the resolution authorities, who have extensive powers to restructure the bank, including the possibility of opening up its capital or selling assets.
