Brazzaville, 5 February 2026 – The President of the Republic, Denis Sassou N'Guesso, has officially announced his candidacy for the Congolese presidential election on 15 March 2026.

Before an audience of several thousand people gathered at the Ministry of Agriculture's Parc Expo, the Congolese head of state responded to a question from a young female farmer. Speaking on behalf of her colleagues, she urged him to reveal his intentions for the upcoming presidential election, saying she feared ‘a leap into the unknown.’ After emphasizing the urgency of food sovereignty and welcoming the agricultural revival in Congo, driven by government policies, President Denis Sassou N'Guesso said: "I salute your youth and your dedication. The movement you have started must flourish! I will support this movement, which is set to grow! To this end, I will be standing as a candidate in the presidential election."

In his speech, President Sassou N'Guesso also stated that a people who do not produce what they consume are not a free people, and called for the collective effort to be continued, positioning himself as the guarantor of the stability of republican institutions and the pursuit of reforms.

Over the last five years, the Republic of Congo has cleaned up its accounts and regained the confidence of donors, completing a three-year agreement with the IMF concluded in January 2022. The economy has returned to growth. The country's gross domestic product is expected to grow by 3.6% in 2026 – one of the highest rates in the CEMAC region – and growth in the non-oil sector (4.2%) is expected to outpace that of the oil sector. The rate of access to electricity has increased by 10% to 59%, and 75% in urban areas. Investments in infrastructure have also enabled the deployment of 3,000 kilometers of fiber optic cables. In terms of health and social issues, maternal mortality has fallen by 32%, and a universal health insurance scheme, introduced in May 2023, is currently being rolled out.

The 6th Congress of the Congolese Labour Party, held from 27 to 30 December 2025 in Brazzaville, designated Denis Sassou N'Guesso as the party's ‘natural candidate’ for the next presidential election. Eighteen groups united within the ‘presidential majority’ also lent their support to the Congolese Head of State, as did several other parties and civil society organizations.
The period for submitting candidacy applications opened on 29 January and ends at midnight on 12 February.

The first round of the Congolese presidential election is scheduled for 15 March 2026. The election campaign will run from 28 February to midnight on 13 March. Members of the security forces, who will be mobilized to ensure the security of the election, will vote in advance on 12 March.