Published on 24 October 2026

Kinshasa ring roads and city extension: which areas could gain value

Kinshasa ring roads and city extension: which areas could gain value

The Kinshasa ring roads and the plan to extend the city towards Maluku are widely discussed, and real estate is following these announcements closely. A new road can make an area easier to reach and bring in new residents. But a road still under construction, expropriations in progress or a timetable that keeps slipping can also hold an area back for years. Here is what we know today about these major projects, based on public sources, and what they could change for a buyer, without any promise on prices.

Kinshasa major projects in 2026

Kinshasa is growing fast, and its roads have not kept up. Traffic jams between the east of the city, the centre and the west cost residents hours every day. Several major projects aim to tackle this problem and to guide the growth of the city.

Three projects come up often in the news:

• the south east and south west ring roads (rocades), bypass roads planned to link different parts of the city without going through the centre;
• the extension of Kinshasa to Maluku, a large urban and industrial project to the east of the city;
• the Kinshasa financial centre in la Gombe, opened in 2023 but with some parts still unfinished.

These projects are not moving at the same pace, and they do not all come with the same level of public information. So it is best to look at them one by one.

The Kinshasa ring roads: south east and south west

What we know

The south east and south west ring roads are bypass roads around Kinshasa. The Congolese Agency for Major Works (ACGT) has published a document presenting the project to build these two ring roads. According to imcongo, the works are under way, and around 30 September 2026 the President of the Republic asked the government to speed up compensation for residents affected by the route.

This compensation issue matters. It shows that the route runs through areas where people already live, and that families must be moved or compensated before the works can move forward everywhere. According to ACGT (May 2026), about 3,000 properties are affected by expropriation.

Route and timetable

According to the ACGT project sheet, the ring roads form a 73 km road with 2 x 2 lanes. They start at Lutendele, in the Mont Ngafula commune in the west, pass through Mitendi, where a three level interchange links them to national road 1 (towards Matadi), and then reach avenue Ndjoku, in Kimbanseke, in the east. The route crosses areas such as Kimwenza, N djili Brasserie, Biela, Mokali and Buma, with bridges over the N djili, Mfuti, Ngudiabaka and Lukaya rivers.

Works started in June 2024, at an estimated cost of about 396 million dollars, funded by the Sino Congolese programme. During the Prime Minister s visit in May 2026, Radio Okapi reported progress of about 42%. Completion, first planned for June 2027, is now targeted for September 2027 according to ACGT. This timetable depends largely on settling the compensation.

Why it matters for real estate

A ring road redraws the map of travel times. An area that is two hours from the centre at rush hour today can become much easier to reach. This is often what drives demand, and then prices, around major roads. But this shift takes time, and it does not benefit every plot in the same way.

The Maluku extension

What we know

According to Bankable (December 2025), the Kinshasa City Extension project in Maluku held its groundbreaking ceremony on 22 December 2025, with physical works planned from early 2026. Bankable lists several elements:

Project element	What Bankable reports (December 2025)
Official launch	22 December 2025
Planned start of works	Early 2026
Sino Congolese industrial city	About 12 billion dollars, 1,200 factories over five years
Hospital platform	133 million euros

These amounts are project announcements. Whether they happen will depend on actual funding and on the pace of the works. The latest public step we know of: a ministerial order of 20 April 2026 declared about 43,160 hectares in Maluku to be of public utility, which opens expropriation procedures (Gazette du Continent, May 2026). The project, called Kinshasa Kia Mona, aims in the long run for up to 5 million residents according to Heshima RDC (May 2026). We found no public report on progress on the ground as of October 2026.

Two other projects are also announced in the east: an agreement signed on 10 August 2026 with the Vingroup group for a 6,300 hectare housing project between the river and the north of N djili airport, and a road and rail bridge between Kinshasa and Brazzaville, landing at Maluku on the Kinshasa side, with works targeted to start in June 2027.

What it could change

If the industrial city really attracts factories and jobs, thousands of people will need housing close to where they work. This could create demand for homes in eastern Kinshasa, especially in Maluku and N sele. theafricanvestor already lists Maluku and N sele among the city s affordable areas. To give an idea of scale, Mbote (January 2026) puts eastern communes such as Masina, Ndjili or Kimbanseke at around 700 $ per m², against a median of 1,300 $ for the city as a whole.

But an area that is affordable today is also an area where services (roads, water, electricity, schools, hospitals) are not yet at the level of the central districts. Buying early can be attractive, but it is also riskier.

The Kinshasa financial centre

The Kinshasa financial centre is in la Gombe. Built by the Turkish firm Milvest for about 290 million dollars, it was opened on 19 December 2023. It has two towers of 20 and 16 floors and is meant to house the Finance and Budget ministries as well as state financial agencies.

Not everything is finished, though. According to former Finance Minister Nicolas Kazadi, quoted by actualite.cd (September 2026), the neighbouring Arena was 60 to 65% complete when he left government, and the adjoining hotel has been left abandoned.

What we can say in general terms: a business hub attracts offices, banks, hotels and managers. This strengthens demand for quality housing nearby, in la Gombe and the surrounding districts. But la Gombe is already the city s administrative and business centre: the financial centre reinforces its appeal more than it creates it.

Which areas could benefit

No one can say for sure which areas will gain value, or by how much. Here is a careful reading, based on the sources available.

Areas close to the future ring roads

The areas that will gain the most in travel time are, in principle, those that are poorly connected to the centre today and that will be close to an interchange or a ring road entrance. Based on the ACGT route, the areas that will be better connected are mainly southern Mont Ngafula and eastern Kimbanseke, around Mitendi and avenue Ndjoku. But every plot remains a case of its own.

A word of caution: theafricanvestor lists among the areas to avoid some parts of Mont Ngafula far from the centre, Selembao, the flood prone parts of Masina and Ndjili, and the erosion affected parts of Lemba. A new road does not solve a flooding or erosion problem on a plot.

The east of the city

Maluku and N sele are directly concerned by the extension project. If the announced factories and facilities arrive, demand in these areas could grow. It is a long term bet that requires patience.

Established districts

Central districts such as la Gombe, Ngaliema or Limete do not depend on these new projects for their appeal. theafricanvestor considers these to be the districts where prices have risen the most in recent years. According to Mbote (January 2026), la Gombe and parts of Ngaliema are above 5,500 $ per m², more than four times the city median. These are past observations, not guarantees for the future. But they show that these districts remain in demand, with or without a ring road. If traffic flows better thanks to the ring roads, they could also benefit indirectly.

For a detailed comparison of districts, read our article Best areas to buy property in Kinshasa in 2026.

What the Kinshasa ring roads mean for a buyer

A few simple rules help you benefit from these projects without taking unnecessary risks.

1. Buy what exists, not only what is promised: A planned road is not a finished road. Judge a property first on what it offers today.
2. Check the route: A plot too close to the route may be affected by expropriation. Before you buy, ask a notary to check the registration certificate at the Land Registry (Conservation des titres immobiliers), and a land surveyor to locate the plot in relation to the route.
3. Think in years: The effect of a major road on prices is usually measured over several years, not a few months.
4. Look at services: Water, electricity, schools, healthcare and security are what give an area its value over time.
5. Keep a margin: Do not put your whole budget on a single area linked to a single project.

To place current prices before you compare, also read our article on the price of an apartment in Kinshasa in 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Where will the ring roads run?

The ring roads run for 73 km across the south of Kinshasa. They link Lutendele, in Mont Ngafula, to avenue Ndjoku, in Kimbanseke, through Mitendi, according to the ACGT project document. Before buying near these areas, check the exact position of the plot in relation to the route.

When will the works be finished?

ACGT now targets September 2027, against June 2027 at the start. At the end of September 2026, according to imcongo, the President asked for compensation to be sped up, which shows that this step determines what comes next. It is better to follow official announcements than rumours.

Is buying near the new roads a good idea?

It can be, as long as you buy a property that already has value today and a plot whose legal status is clear. A road can improve access, but it does not guarantee a rise in prices. Have the title and the position of the plot checked by a notary before you commit.

Let's talk about your project

These major projects will change Kinshasa, but their effect on each area remains hard to predict. The safest approach is to weigh this information against your budget, your time horizon and how you plan to use the property.

Sources

• imcongo, real estate news (compensation for residents along the ring roads, September 2026)
• ACGT, Projet de construction des rocades sud est et sud ouest dans la ville de Kinshasa
• Bankable, Kinshasa expansion project set to break ground in Q1 2026 (December 2025)
• theafricanvestor, Best Areas to Buy Property in Kinshasa (2026), updated September 2026
• ACGT, Prime Minister s visit to the ring road works (May 2026)
• Radio Okapi, progress of the southern ring roads (May 2026)
• Gazette du Continent, 43,000 hectares declared of public utility in Maluku (May 2026)
• Heshima RDC, Kinshasa Kia Mona (May 2026)
• Decrypt Eco, agreement with Vingroup (August 2026)
• AllAfrica, Kinshasa Brazzaville road and rail bridge (October 2026)
• Wikipedia, Kinshasa Financial Center
• actualite.cd, Arena and Kinshasa financial centre (September 2026)
• Mbote, Combien coûte un appartement à Kinshasa en 2026 (January 2026)