With nearly 70% of the population under the age of 35 and a median age of just 15.8 years, the Democratic Republic of Congo is not just a young country; it is one of the youngest nations on earth. This is not merely a demographic detail; It is the central fact shaping the nation’s economic future. With the majority of its population under 35, the Democratic Republic of Congo’s economic story is being written by its youth.
Recognising this urgent reality, the DRC Investment Forum 2026 will host a dedicated day of programming aimed squarely at the country’s future leaders. The Congo2050 NextGen programme, taking place on 26 August 2026 at the Fleuve Congo Hotel in Kinshasa, is designed to move beyond rhetoric and provide concrete pathways for young Congolese to participate in the nation’s economic transformation.
The focus on youth is not merely a social gesture; it is an economic imperative. With formal employment scarce and a significant portion of the population surviving on less than two dollars a day, young people are already proving themselves to be the country’s primary engine of entrepreneurship. From the bustling markets of Kinshasa to agricultural projects in Gemena and green startups in Lubumbashi, it is the youth who are building the DRC’s economy from the ground up.
The NextGen programme directly responds to this reality. It is structured to bridge the gap between grassroots innovation and the institutional capital needed to scale it.
The day will feature keynote addresses on investing in Africa’s future leaders, followed by parallel workshops tackling the real barriers young entrepreneurs face. Sessions will cover business model design, access to capital, digital skills and artificial intelligence, and the careers of the future. These are not academic exercises; they are practical responses to the challenges identified by young business owners across the country.
A key feature of the programme is the closed-door mentorship clinics, where pre-registered participants will receive direct guidance from fund managers and experts. This will be followed by the NextGen Investment Elevator Pitch Showcase, where selected youth-led ventures will present to a room of investors and corporate partners. The criteria for selection reflect what the DRC needs most: clear revenue models, scalability beyond the pilot stage, genuine job creation potential, and a commitment to sustainability.
This initiative aligns with the government’s recently established National Pact on Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship, which emerged from a high-level roundtable in late 2025. That pact produced over 350 recommendations aimed at making youth employment a central pillar of public policy, including simplifying business registration and establishing quotas for entry-level positions.
Yet, as the stories of young entrepreneurs across the country demonstrate, opportunity is not something to be waited for. It is being built, stitch by stitch, weld by weld, and crop by crop. Young seamstresses in Gemena are training dozens of apprentices each year. Former cobalt miners in Lubumbashi are retraining as mechanics and electricians. Orphanage cooperatives are creating self-sustaining farms.
The Congo2050 NextGen programme is designed to ensure that these individual success stories become the foundation of a national movement. It recognises that the DRC’s vast mineral wealth and agricultural potential will only translate into shared prosperity if young Congolese have a seat at the table where deals are made and futures are planned.
The DRC Investment Forum 2026 runs from 26 to 28 August. Registration for the NextGen programme is open, and young entrepreneurs interested in participating in the pitch showcase are encouraged to apply early.
For more information on the Congo2050 NextGen programme or to register, visit www.drcinvestforum.com.