REC MEMBERSHIP – ECCAS

Congo Republic Ibrahim Index of African Governance (IIAG)

Overall Governance score: 39.7 (/100) Rank: 45th (out of 54 countries)

The current population of Congo is 6,481,018 as of 27 June 2025, based on Worldometer’s elaboration of the latest United Nations data.

Congo’s 2025 population is estimated at 6,484,437 people at mid-year.

The informal economy in Congo-Brazzaville represents a substantial portion of both economic activity and employment.

Estimates suggest that between 81.5% and 97.5% of economic activity takes place in the informal economy.

One report indicates that approximately 88.6% of the total workforce is employed in the informal sector.

This includes:

• 59.7% agricultural activities
• 28.9% non-agricultural activities

The legal system of the Republic of the Congo is primarily a civil law system influenced by French law, reflecting its historical status as a former French colony.

The legal framework also incorporates elements of customary law, particularly in matters relating to:

• personal status
• family law
• land and property rights within traditional communities

The Republic of the Congo has been a member of the International Labour Organization (ILO) since 1960.

Workers’ rights in the Republic of the Congo are protected through a combination of:

• constitutional guarantees
• national labour legislation
• international labour standards ratified by the country

These frameworks address fundamental labour rights including:

• freedom of association
• collective bargaining
• workplace protections
• social security provisions

However, as in many countries with large informal economies, the effective extension of these protections to workers operating in the informal sector remains a significant policy challenge.

See sector-specific regulation below.

Further analysis is provided in the sector pages below:

• Domestic Work Sector
• Street Vendors
• Waste Reclaiming
• Home Working
• Gig Work and the Platform Economy
• Farm Work
• The Mining Sector and Artisanal Mining
• Taxi and Transport Sector
• Cross-Border Informal Trade