Rawbank, the largest bank in the Democratic Republic of the Congo by assets, reported strong revenue growth in 2025 as it expanded lending to small businesses and accelerated investment in digital banking and financial services.
The lender said net banking income rose 32.6 percent to US$681.8 million in 2025, while pre-tax profit increased 34 percent to US$329.4 million, according to figures published in its annual report.
Net profit rose at a slower pace of 8.9 percent to US$231.6 million after tax expenses more than tripled to US$97.7 million.
Kadija Sangho Keita, the bank’s chief financial officer, said the results reflected growing diversification across the institution’s business lines.
“The performance confirms the diversification of revenues, with a significant contribution from lending, transaction activities and treasury operations across all our market segments,” she said.
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Rawbank has traditionally relied heavily on the mining sector, which dominates Congo’s export economy, but the bank is now broadening operations into investment banking, financial markets, payments, digital banking and financing for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
The bank played a prominent role in investment banking activities during the year, including arranging a US$400 million syndicated loan for the Kamoa-Kakula copper project, one of the world’s largest copper developments.
Rawbank also participated in preparations for Congo’s first sovereign eurobond issuance, finalised in April through a US$1.25 billion fundraising operation.
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As part of its diversification strategy, the lender launched the country’s first modern trading room and expanded leasing and bancassurance activities, with business volumes in those areas rising more than 150 percent.
The bank said SME financing remained a key growth driver. Through its “20,000 SMEs” programme, Rawbank deployed more than 5,000 loans worth about US$500 million in 2025.
The lender also signed a partnership with COPA-Transforme aimed at channelling nearly $300 million in grants over five years to around 5,000 SMEs.
Digital banking services, agent banking networks and programmes supporting women entrepreneurs also contributed to growth, the bank said.
The expansion forms part of Rawbank’s long-term “RAW 2030” strategy, launched this year to reposition the lender as a broader development-focused financial institution.
Under the plan, Rawbank aims to increase total assets from $6.8 billion to more than $10 billion by 2030.
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The bank also targets net banking income of US$938 million and net profit of US$350 million by the end of the decade.
Chief executive Mustafa Rawji said the bank’s focus was shifting toward sectors that support broader economic development.
“The priority now focuses on the real economy, the one that creates jobs, income and productive capacity,” he said.
The strategy has already influenced the bank’s balance sheet, with the loan portfolio rising 10 percent to $2.29 billion in 2025, while deposits grew 1.1 percent to $4.8 billion.
Rawbank said it aims to raise its loan-to-deposit ratio from 47.8 percent to 50 percent by 2030 while increasing exposure to SMEs and productive value chains.
The bank acknowledged intensifying competition across Africa’s financial sector as regional banking groups expand their footprint across the continent.
“African banking is organizing around increasingly powerful players. Competition is intensifying. Margins are tightening,” said Thomas De Dreux-Brézé.
Despite those pressures, Rawbank said it plans to maintain prudential ratios above the requirements set by the Central Bank of Congo while pursuing growth under its new strategy.
