The investment is part of a broader $265 million financing package designed to support over 1,500 Congolese small businesses outside the mining sector.
British International Investment (BII) has committed a $25 million senior loan facility to Rawbank. This partnership aims to expand access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and non-mining corporates in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Local businesses in the DRC face a shortage of long-term funding from the financial sector. This particularly affects small businesses and non-mining corporates, which are vital for diversifying the country’s economy. By partnering with Rawbank, the DRC’s largest commercial bank, BII’s investment addresses this funding gap while supporting an institution with a strong track record of serving under-reached sectors.
The $25 million facility from BII is part of a larger financing package totaling $265 million. This comprehensive package is supported by other institutions, including IFC, Proparco, the OPEC Fund, and the eco.business Fund. The primary goal of this financial injection is to enable the extension of financing to at least 1,500 additional SMEs across the DRC.
Deploying international capital to a local platform is intended to finance more SMEs, strengthen local production, and support sustainable job creation. Mustafa Rawji, CEO of Rawbank, stated that the operation validates the bank’s capacity to deploy significant volumes responsibly and deliver measurable economic impact. UK Minister for Development Baroness Chapman noted that the partnership shifts the UK’s approach from donor to genuine partner and investor, backing local solutions for economic growth.
This investment highlights BII’s ambition to scale its presence in frontier markets like the DRC, where private investment remains scarce and doing business is challenging. Chris Chijiutomi, BII’s Managing Director and Head of Africa, emphasized the commitment to channelling capital into markets where it can have the greatest catalytic impact and build a more resilient financial ecosystem. Furthermore, the investment was supported by the Africa Resilience Investment Accelerator (ARIA), a collaborative initiative launched to boost investment in African frontier markets.
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