When people ask why I set up EFGH’s African headquarters in the Democratic Republic of Congo, I tell them it’s a bit like running into the fire while others are running out. The DRC is not for the faint-hearted. It tests your resilience, your patience and your belief in what’s possible.
Doing business there demands grit. Power can be unpredictable, policy can shift overnight, and progress is often measured in persistence rather than speed. But that is precisely the point. If you can build something sustainable there, you can build it anywhere.
Because beneath the challenges lies extraordinary potential, that is, a young population, vast resources and a hunger to participate in the global economy. In every direction, I see opportunity waiting to be unlocked, not despite the difficulty, but because of it.
At the heart of Africa
The DRC sits at the centre of the continent, linking nine neighbours and more than 113 million people. From Kinshasa, we can reach Central, East and Southern Africa with ease. Geography gives us reach, but purpose gives us direction.
What excites me is what that reach represents, a connected, youthful population ready to build new financial systems. Every transaction carries the chance to lift lives and strengthen economies. That is why we are there.
Integration that creates opportunity
The DRC belongs to the Southern African Development Community, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, and the East African Community. It also participates in the African Continental Free Trade Area, linking 54 countries into one emerging market.
This integration turns borders into bridges. A financial solution created in Kinshasa can work in Lusaka, Kigali or Dar es Salaam. Shared rules make scaling faster, inclusion deeper and impact broader.
Financing ecosystems, not extraction
The DRC leads the world in cobalt and is among the largest producers of copper, the metals powering electric vehicles and renewable energy. But our focus is not on mining; it is on the ecosystem that surrounds it.
Behind every mine lies a network of suppliers, insurers and workers who need safe, transparent financial rails. EFGH provides those rails - trade finance, insurance and digital payments that help industries grow responsibly. By financing ecosystems, we help turn natural wealth into shared prosperity.
Leadership that builds confidence
Our Africa CEO, Eric Mboma, is Congolese and understands this country as both a professional and a patriot. He has spent decades in banking, insurance and digital transformation, advising governments, leading multinationals and scaling start-ups.
Eric’s blend of global experience and local insight gives EFGH credibility that investors can trust. In Africa, leadership is not just about strategy; it is about trust. Eric brings both and that makes all the difference.
Two Headquarters, One Vision
Singapore and Congo represent two sides of the same coin. Singapore offers governance, regulation and access to capital. The DRC offers scale, inclusion and energy. Together, they form a complete ecosystem where capital meets opportunity and innovation meets impact.
From Singapore, we bring standards and discipline. From Congo, we build solutions that matter. It proves that growth and governance can thrive together.
EFGH’s decision to make Congo its African home is a statement of intent. It says we believe in Africa’s future, in its people and in the power of inclusion to drive prosperity.
When others see risk, we see resolve. Because sometimes the bravest thing a company can do is to run toward the fire and help build something better when the smoke clears.
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