Cabinet convenes in Oyo under presidential guidance
The Council of Ministers gathered on 7 October 2025 in Oyo, Cuvette Department, with President Denis Sassou Nguesso chairing the session, according to the official communiqué released after the four-hour meeting.
Five agenda items—covering electoral governance, public finances and the national oil company—were examined in a context of improved revenues and steady macro-indicators, offering an instructive snapshot of the administration’s near-term policy priorities (Council communiqué, 7 Oct 2025).
Electoral law update eyes stronger representation
Interior and Decentralisation Minister Raymond Zéphirin Mboulou presented a bill amending the 2001 electoral law to reflect the country’s new administrative map, which now counts 14 departments instead of 12, and to accommodate the enlarged National Assembly decided earlier this year.
The draft also broadens ineligibility clauses, obliges courts to notify the election authority of any conviction or resignation, and redirects several electoral disputes to local tribunals. Cabinet approval sends the text to parliament in time for the 2026 legislative cycle.
Revised 2025 budget reinforces stability goals
Finance, Budget and Public Portfolio Minister Christian Yoka opened the fiscal section with a rectified 2025 finance bill. Following the January reshuffle that created new spending lines, the updated envelope forecasts 2 550.7 billion CFA francs in revenue and 2 198.7 billion in expenditure.
Projected surplus therefore rises to 352 billion CFA francs, roughly 3 percent of GDP, underpinning targets of macroeconomic stability, debt reduction and inclusive growth. The government plans to raise additional non-oil revenue, rationalise operating costs and channel savings toward infrastructure and social programmes.
2024 accounts show rare cash surplus
Cabinet endorsed the settlement bill for fiscal year 2024, a prerequisite for Court of Accounts review. Actual revenue reached 2 327.2 billion CFA francs, or 89 percent of the initial forecast, while spending stood at 1 671.2 billion, representing 80 percent execution.
Despite a treasury financing gap of 634.5 billion CFA francs, the headline budget surplus closed at 656 billion. Net of financing charges, the global balance remained positive by 21.5 billion, reinforcing the administration’s message that consolidation efforts are starting to bear fruit.
2026 draft budget backs diversification push
Looking further ahead, the cabinet cleared the 2026 finance bill built on assumptions of 3.6 percent national growth, 3 percent inflation and an average oil price of 60.3 dollars per barrel for Congo’s blend, with output projected at 105 million barrels.
Revenue is programmed at 2 501.4 billion CFA francs against 2 267.2 billion in expenditure, yielding an expected surplus of 234.2 billion. Priorities include tax-base widening, controlled payroll growth and stepped-up funding for agro-industrial corridors, digital infrastructure and climate-smart forestry projects in the Congo Basin.
SNPC statute overhaul targets gas opportunity
Hydrocarbons Minister Bruno Jean Richard Itoua obtained approval for revised statutes of Société Nationale des Pétroles du Congo. The move introduces a data management centre, establishes a dedicated Gas and New Energies Directorate and fixes the chief executive’s mandate at five renewable years.
By formalising a dedicated gas arm inside SNPC, authorities signal confidence that associated-gas monetisation and blue-hydrogen pilots can bolster export receipts while aligning with Congo’s updated Nationally Determined Contribution, which aims to cut emissions intensity 20 percent by 2030.
Investor signals from the cabinet decisions
For portfolio managers, the higher-than-anticipated fiscal surpluses may translate into reduced domestic borrowing needs, limiting crowding-out and anchoring rates ahead of the BEAC’s next policy meeting. Moody’s earlier cited fiscal discipline as a factor supporting Congo’s B3 outlook.
The electoral reform, if enacted on schedule, could further enhance political predictability and facilitate program budgeting across newly created departments, analysts at Emerging Markets Advisers note. They add that dependable sub-national representation often correlates with smoother execution of public-private projects.
Energy observers point to the statutory upgrade at SNPC as a precursor to fresh farm-outs in marginal gas fields and potential green-bond issuances. In a call with investors, a senior SNPC official suggested that preliminary data rooms could open during 2026.
Together, the measures adopted in Oyo reinforce a narrative of incremental reform rather than abrupt shifts. While execution risks remain, the cabinet’s roadmap offers clear mileposts for stakeholders tracking Congo-Brazzaville’s fiscal consolidation, sector diversification and governance enhancements ahead of the 2026 horizon.
Upcoming parliamentary debates will refine details, yet deputies traditionally endorse most cabinet positions. Observers will therefore focus on amendment margins, indicative borrowings in the 2026 treasury schedule and progress on SNPC’s governance code expected before the year-end.
