Data protection law in Democratic Republic of the Congo: registration and research permits
What a survey team needs to know about personal data and survey authorization in Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Summary for planning; confirm requirements with the regulator before fieldwork.
law adopted, regulator not confirmed operational
Data protection law
Law 20/017 of 8 July 2020 on personal data protection (2020)
Regulator
Autorite de Protection des Donnees a caractere Personnel (provided for by the law)
Registration
prior declaration/authorization regime under Law 20/017
Survey permits
INS authorization required under the statistics law (Loi 81-006)
National statistics office
Note
DRC has never held a full modern census; a 2024-25 census was announced but not confirmed as completed.
Democratic Republic of the Congo research rules: common questions
Is there a data protection law in Democratic Republic of the Congo?
Law 20/017 of 8 July 2020 on personal data protection (2020).
Who regulates personal data in Democratic Republic of the Congo?
Autorite de Protection des Donnees a caractere Personnel (provided for by the law).
Do I need to register to collect personal data in Democratic Republic of the Congo?
Prior declaration/authorization regime under Law 20/017.
Do I need a permit to run a survey in Democratic Republic of the Congo?
INS authorization required under the statistics law (Loi 81-006).
Sources: the regulator and statistics office pages linked above, retrieved 10 Oct 2026. See our methods.
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