Equity Bank’s latest trade mission to the Democratic Republic of Congo is more than a business tour—it’s a strategic rollout of its Africa Recovery and Resilience Plan (ARRP), a private sector stimulus framework designed to catalyse inclusive growth across the continent.
The five-day mission, which began Monday, brought together delegates from Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, South Sudan, Poland, Germany, the U.S., and Congo. It’s the 15th DRC-focused mission out of 40 conducted by Equity Group in the past four years.
Agriculture: Mechanisation Meets Market Demand
Delegates toured Jambo Farming Company, a 4,500-hectare maize farm planning to expand into wheat.
“We produce 22,000 tonnes annually but still meet just 7% of Katanga’s maize demand,” said Director Vishal Fatania.
The farm’s mechanised operations—410-horsepower tractors, 35-meter spray booms, and 5,000 liters of diesel daily—highlight the scale needed to meet regional food security goals.
Paty-Paterne Mushagalusa, EquityBCDC Associate Director for Commercial Projects, cited Jambo Farm’s operations as a prime example of the investment gaps Equity Group is targeting through its Africa Recovery and Resilience Plan (ARRP).
“The three biggest farming companies barely supply 10% of Katanga’s maize demand,” he said. “That reveals a significant opportunity for others to enter, scale up, and access financing. With the right syndication, Equity can advance up to $4 billion to support such ventures.”
This aligns with ARRP’s goal to transform agriculture into a scalable, bankable sector, with Equity committing 35% of its lending portfolio to agriculture. The plan supports syndication of up to $4 billion for large-scale agribusinesses, irrigation, and mechanisation.
Manufacturing and Logistics: Bottlenecks and Opportunities
At Hyper Psaro, a bottling plant in Lubumbashi, delegates saw firsthand the logistical hurdles of moving goods 2,300 km to Kinshasa.
“Transport takes two weeks by road and a month during the rainy season,” said Safety Manager Augustine Masheke. Frequent power outages force reliance on generators, while inputs are imported from France and Kenya.
ARRP identifies logistics, energy, and manufacturing as priority sectors for investment. The plan promotes cross-border financial solutions, enabling businesses to scale despite infrastructure gaps.
Esther Thongori, CEO of Lohim Company, praised Equity’s support: “You can manage accounts seamlessly across borders. That’s a game-changer.”
Private Sector-Led Growth: From Vision to Execution
The ARRP, as outlined in Equity Group’s strategic blueprint, seeks to reposition African economies post-COVID through private sector-led transformation. It targets seven sectors—agriculture, manufacturing, trade, MSMEs, social impact, technology, and energy—with tailored financing, capacity building, and market access.
Real estate developer Dr. Ishaq Buya, visiting from Mombasa, said the DRC’s mechanised farming model could inform Kenya’s agricultural strategy.
“Yields of 7 tonnes per hectare show what scale and efficiency can achieve,” he noted, adding that hospitality, education, and health also present viable investment avenues.
