ATI
COUNTRY PROFILE
Republic of the Congo
The Congo Republic is a moderate economic transformer with an overall ATI score of 21.1, which is below the African average of 30.3. The country ranks 17th among 30 countries on the ATI. The Congo Republic’s performance on economic transformation is abysmal in terms of productivity growth. Despite the country’s struggles, it recorded significant improvement (+6.5) in the overall ATI score over the past two decades.
Brazzaville
6.1 million
2.3 %
1.9 %
US $2,509
Republic of the Congo’s Performance on the African Transformation Index
The overall African Transformation Index score measures the five dimensions of DEPTH.
Overall score
21.1 /100
Score change
since 2000
At a glance
- The Congo Republic is a moderate economic transformer with an overall ATI score of 21.1, which is below the African average of 30.3. The country ranks 17th among 30 countries on the ATI.
- The Congo Republic’s performance on economic transformation is abysmal in terms of productivity growth. Despite the country’s struggles, it recorded significant improvement (+6.5) in the overall ATI score over the past two decades.
| Score /100 |
Change since 2000 | ||
 |
Diversification |
19.1 |
+11.5
|
 |
Export competitiveness |
18.9 |
+2.9
|
 |
Productivity increases |
8.9 |
-3.6
|
 |
Technology upgrading |
37.7 |
+23.0
|
 |
Human well-being |
20.9 |
-1.5
|
Diversification of production and exports measures countries’ capability to produce and export a widening array of goods and services.
Score
19.1 /100
Score change
since 2000
At a glance
- The Congo Republic faces significant challenges in diversifying its economy, which remains heavily dependent on oil. Oil contributes over 50 percent to GDP and over 80 percent to export revenues, leaving the economy vulnerable to global oil price fluctuations.
- The manufacturing sector is underdeveloped, making up around 13 percent of GDP, while the service sector accounts for about 40.4 percent.
- Efforts to expand non-oil sectors have been limited, resulting in a narrow export base. The high concentration of oil exports undermines the country's economic stability and limits its potential for sustainable and inclusive growth.
Export competitiveness is measured as the ratio of a country’s share in the world’s exports of non-extractive goods and services to its share in world non-extractive GDP.
Score
18.9 /100
Score change
since 2000
At a glance
-
The Congo Republic’s export competitiveness remains heavily tied to its oil sector, with crude oil dominating the export profile. This concentration has exposed the country to significant economic instability whenever oil prices fluctuate.
-
Despite possessing vast natural resources, including timber and minerals, the country has struggled to develop value-added industries and diversify its export base.
-
The lack of robust transport infrastructure, energy supply challenges, and limited access to modern production technologies have constrained the growth of other sectors.
Productivity increases measure the value added per unit of labor in agriculture, manufacturing, and services.
Score
8.9 /100
Score change
since 2000
At a glance
- Productivity in the Congo Republic remains low across most sectors, with economic activity heavily concentrated in the oil industry.
- While the oil sector contributes significantly to GDP, it generates relatively little employment and has yet to drive broad-based productivity gains.
- Productivity in the service and manufacturing sectors has remained constrained due to a lack of skilled labor and technological investments.
Technology upgrading measures the medium-and high-technology content in total production activities and total commodity exports.
Score
37.7 /100
Score change
since 2000
At a glance
- The Congo Republic lags significantly on technology upgrading, with most industries relying on basic and outdated technologies.
- Its economy remains heavily concentrated in oil extraction, which, while capital-intensive, has not driven broader technological spillovers into other sectors. This has resulted in limited medium and high-technology industries in the country's production structure.
- Challenges such as limited access to digital infrastructure, low investment in innovation, and a shortage of skilled technicians have further constrained technological progress.
Human well-being measures economic and social outcomes and enablers in terms of incomes, income inequality, formal employment, and female participation in formal labor markets.
Score
20.9 /100
Score change
since 2000
At a glance
- Human well-being in the Congo Republic has been declining over the past decade, with high poverty rates and limited access to essential services, especially in rural areas.
- Despite the country's natural resource wealth, economic benefits have not translated into widespread improvements in living standards.
- The informal sector is large and many people rely on subsistence activities with low productivity.
- Unemployment rates remain high with scarce formal job opportunities, especially for women and young people.
Discover more from the ATI
ATI Scorecard
Explore the data behind the economic transformation progress of 30 African countries between 2000-2020.
Growth with DEPTH
Explore the ATI in DEPTH and see how African countries performed on each dimension between 2000-2020.
Methodology
Learn more about our methodology, sources, and how we calculate the index.
Country Profiles
To explore the results of the index in greater detail and provide context and analysis, the ATI report includes 11 case studies.
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