Pesaflow Explores GovTech Opportunities in Democratic Republic of Congo

Kenyan fintech Pesaflow is exploring opportunities in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as the government expands digital public services and moves more business and administrative processes online. DRC Digital Economy Minister Augustin Kibassa Maliba met a Pesaflow delegation led by director Jovis Omondji Okoth in Kinshasa on 11 August, with discussions covering digital business registries, beneficial ownership tracking, government revenue monitoring and public service management. Following the meeting, Kibassa asked his teams to continue discussions and assess the possibility of a partnership.

DRC Expands Digital Public Services

The discussions come alongside several government efforts to digitise public administration. In June, the DRC launched RDC-Pass, a personal digital identifier designed to facilitate access to public services. The government is also digitising business procedures through its One-Stop Shop for Business Creation, which allows businesses to complete registration and related administrative processes through a central platform. These developments provide the context for Pesaflow’s discussions with the government, which are focused on whether its technology can support some of the digital systems being developed for public administration and business services.

Pesaflow’s Work in Kenya

Pesaflow already provides several of the technologies being considered in the DRC, including payments, process automation, registry management, revenue tracking and data processing. In Kenya, the company is linked to the eCitizen ecosystem and Business Registration Service, where users can submit applications, pay fees and obtain documents online. The discussions will determine whether Pesaflow can provide some of the digital systems being considered by the Congolese government as it expands online public services and business administration. Pesaflow says it has nearly 14 years of experience and operates in seven African countries, including Kenya, Malawi and South Sudan, where it has worked on technology for public services and business registries.