Goma residents grapple with bank closures

A year after the M23 rebels stormed Goma, the city’s banks remain shuttered, leaving the financial system in limbo. Without access to cash or credit, businesses and families face daily hurdles.
Street vendors now rely on makeshift markets, while many youths wander in search of work that no longer exists. The uncertainty has turned hope into a fragile routine, with each sunrise bringing new doubts.

For anyone with ties to Central Africa or interests in global stability, the plight in Goma highlights how conflict can cripple everyday commerce, affecting supply chains, humanitarian aid, and diaspora remittances.

The prolonged bank shutdown not only stalls local entrepreneurship but also hampers international NGOs trying to deliver assistance, making recovery slower and deepening poverty across the region for many families.