Congo, Democratic Republic of Net Migration

Net migration in the Democratic Republic of Congo has swung dramatically over the six‑decade record, moving from a positive balance of 27,673 in 1960 to a pronounced outflow of –27,309 in 2025, placing the country 38th globally. The most extreme reversal occurred in the mid‑1990s, when a peak of 1,232,105 net in‑migrants in 1994 gave way to a trough of –777,833 just two years later, reflecting the combined impact of armed conflict, economic collapse and regional displacement. Despite the recent figure being slightly less negative than Kenya’s –27,330 and Algeria’s –27,531, the DRC’s outflow remains among the highest in the world, underscoring persistent push factors such as insecurity, limited formal employment and inadequate public services. Continued stabilization of security conditions, investment in infrastructure and reforms to improve labor market prospects could reverse the current negative trajectory, potentially shifting net migration toward a modest inflow in the coming decade.