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Blog April 22, 2025

Urban Growth or Exclusion? 6 Ways Kinshasa’s Housing Crisis is Deepening

Front page of Urban Growth or Exclusion? 6 Ways Kinshasa’s Housing Crisis is Deepening
  • Inequality and Exclusion
  • Pathfinders
Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), is on track to become Africa’s largest megacity by 2030. But while the city grows at a staggering pace, rapid urbanization is deepening inequality. Millions reside in precarious housing, while high-end developments are springing up, accessible only to the wealthy.

This housing crisis cannot be viewed in isolation. It is closely tied to the DRC’s broader historical and structural challenges: the legacy of colonization, recurrent cycles of violent conflict, and a crushing burden of debt. Today, amid ongoing political and economic instability, the deepening housing crisis demands renewed attention. To better understand the roots and realities of housing inequality in Kinshasa, consider the following six interconnected dynamics:

1. Formal Housing Is Unaffordable for Most Kinois

Kinshasa needs 263,000 new homes annually, but falls far short. Instead, 75% of residents live in informal settlements without basic services. Buying a house with infrastructure costs at least $250,000, while the average worker in the DRC earns just $26 a month.  

2. Developers Build for the Elite

High-end estates, some labeled “social housing,” charge rents of $2,000/month, making them inaccessible to most Kinois. Some units are even listed on Airbnb for $1,000/week.  

3. Housing Is Treated as a Business, Not a Right

Property is increasingly used for speculation and wealth storage rather than shelter.  Elites and foreign investors drive up prices, forcing working-class residents into informal settlements. 

4. Profit is Prioritized Over People’s Right to Housing

Urban policies favor high-end developments over affordable housing, and informal settlements are criminalized, reinforcing the idea that decent housing is only for those who can afford it.  

5. Government Policies Are Ineffective

Three state agencies were created to address housing issues, but they are dramatically under-resourced with little focus on supporting the lowest incomes. With only 12% of adults having a bank account, most residents can’t access housing loans.  

6. Kinshasa’s Urban Plan was Approved in 1967

Kinshasa’s outdated urban planning system urgently needs institutional reform. Many regulations have not been updated since before independence, and others remain frozen on paper. Efforts to update are hampered by political contestation, overlapping authorities, and power dynamics, especially when it comes to issues of land ownership. 

Time for Action

Without significant reforms—such as stronger tenant protections, genuine social housing investments, and anti-corruption measures in land governance—this housing crisis will only deepen. Kinshasa must shift away from profit-driven, elite-focused development and towards people-centered housing policies prioritizing access, affordability, and human dignity.

For a deeper dive into those findings and potential solutions, check out our new report on housing inequality in Kinshasa, now available on our website.

For a deeper look at the DRC, check out CIC’s Congo Research Group, and its local research partner, Ebuteli.

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