The Regulatory Authority for Subcontracting in the Private Sector (ARSP), the Guarantee Fund for Entrepreneurship in Congo (FOGEC), Rawbank, and Rawsur have launched a national financing program to support Congolese subcontractors in the mining, energy, and infrastructure sectors.

Presented to Prime Minister Judith Suminwa on Oct. 6, 2025, the initiative aims to make it easier for local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to access financing so they can compete for contracts and deliver on them. Loan amounts will range from $10,000 to $1 million, depending on each company’s size and capacity, the Prime Minister’s office said.

Rawbank will provide the funding through its “$20,000 SMEs” program, which has a total budget of $200 million dedicated to integrating local SMEs into the value chains of major corporations. In July, Rawbank Director Rawji Mustafa said during a meeting with the ARSP that 8,000 SMEs had already benefited from the facility. The ARSP will now focus on helping finance the remaining 12,000 businesses, drawing on its market oversight expertise to identify credible SMEs and provide them with tailored support.

ARSP Director General Miguel Kashal said the initiative will not only finance SMEs but also ensure prompt payments by main contractors, helping to stimulate growth. “We will share the list of subcontractors who have won contracts with Rawbank,” Kashal said. “The goal is to help these entrepreneurs grow into major players, because it’s impossible to build strong businesses without support from the banks.”

FOGEC will guarantee the loans, reducing risk for Rawbank and boosting the financial sector’s confidence in local businesses. A monitoring system will also be set up to ensure that funds are properly managed and that the funded projects remain viable.

Ronsard Luabeya 

The Port of Boma, in southwestern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), welcomed the container ship MV APALOS, operated by Maersk Congo, on Tuesday, October 8, 2025. It was the first commercial vessel to dock at the port in more than ten years, according to the Congolese News Agency (ACP).

The ship carried a large number of containers. Interim mayor Claudelle Phemba said the visit followed a July 8, 2025, meeting between the mayor’s office and Maersk Congo, during which the company confirmed plans to resume operations at the facility.

Maersk Congo said the move is part of its broader strategy to diversify logistics access points across the country, in response to growing demand for modern, efficient port infrastructure.

Separately, eight industrial fishing vessels built in Egypt by Pyrlant Shipyard are expected to dock at Boma before entering service.

The Maersk ship’s arrival and the upcoming delivery of the fishing boats could signal the start of a long-awaited revival at the Port of Boma, which has been largely idle for years.

BK

Alphamin Resources Ltd said it expects to produce between 18,000 and 18,500 tons of tin in 2025 at its Bisie mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The company raised its April forecast of 17,500 tons, according to an operational update published on October 8.

The operator initially planned to produce 20,000 tons in 2025. However, Alphamin cut its target earlier this year after halting operations in March because of rebel activity in eastern Congo.

The company reported a cumulative output of 13,566 tons in the first nine months of 2025. It expects to add around 5,000 tons in the fourth quarter, which would bring annual production to the new range of 18,000–18,500 tons.

“The Company expects to produce approximately 5,000 tons of contained tin during the final quarter of the financial year which, together with its year-to-date production of 13,566 tons, increases tin production guidance for FY2025 to between 18,000 and 18,500 tons (17,500 tons previously),” the company said in its update.

The Bisie mine produced 5,190 tons of tin in the third quarter, a 26% increase from the second quarter, which had been impacted by the temporary shutdown. The company attributed the rebound to “processing facilities continuing to deliver good results.”

Alphamin reported annual output of 17,324 tons in 2024. The company said final fourth-quarter results will determine whether the revised 2025 target is fully achieved.

The European Union (EU) announced on October 8 that it has allocated €1.8 million in humanitarian aid through its Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC) to support efforts to contain a new Ebola outbreak in Kasai province, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The funding forms part of the EU’s broader on-the-ground response. According to the EU delegation in the DRC, the assistance includes a specially equipped helicopter for medical evacuations and the delivery of essential supplies.

The EU has also set up temporary offices and accommodation in Bulape, the affected health zone, to house up to 36 health experts. In addition, two Norwegian specialists in medical evacuation and patient isolation will join the World Health Organization (WHO) response team through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism.

The Ebola resurgence was declared on September 4 by Health Minister Roger Kamba, after several cases were confirmed in Bulape. Officials say they are encouraged that the virus remains confined to the area, with no signs of spread to neighboring zones.

The Red Cross has launched a $25 million response plan aimed at 965,000 people over 12 weeks, including 23,200 directly affected individuals, patients, contacts, caregivers, and volunteers, and about 680,000 residents in at-risk areas.

In its October 5 update, the WHO reported a stabilizing trend, noting that no new confirmed or probable cases had been detected for ten days, a sign that transmission is coming under control.

Since the start of the resurgence, 64 cases have been reported (53 confirmed and 11 probable), resulting in 43 deaths, a fatality rate of 67.2%. Fifteen patients have recovered, while six remain hospitalized at the Ebola treatment center.

The WHO said that if no new cases appear and the remaining patients recover, the DRC could begin the 42-day countdown before officially declaring the outbreak over.

Timothée Manoke

The Electricity Sector Regulatory Authority (ARE) of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) announced on October 7, 2025, that it had granted regulatory clearance on September 15 to Gujarat DRC SA for its planned solar power plant. The approval allows the Minister of Energy to sign the production license—the final step before construction can begin.

The project will be built in Fipango village, on the Kashamata site in Kipushi territory, Haut-Katanga province. It is being developed by Soleos Energy of India and Melci Holdings of the DRC, which formed the joint venture Gujarat DRC SA to carry out the project. The final ownership structure has not yet been made public.

While earlier reports mentioned a 200 MW plant, the ARE confirmed that the facility’s peak capacity will be 248 MWp (megawatt-peak)—the maximum output under ideal sunlight and temperature conditions. In practice, such plants operate below that level: a 248 MWp installation typically delivers an average of 40–50 MW of effective power in Africa.

According to ARE data, the project will supply electricity to about 70,000 households and create roughly 50 permanent and 500 temporary jobs. Early investor presentations projected completion by the end of 2025.

Four months ago, Tshimbalanga Madiba, General Manager of Melci Holdings and Deputy General Manager of Gujarat DRC SA, announced the imminent start of construction and said the plant would include a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) with a 107 MWh capacity.

The power produced will be sold to the National Electricity Company (SNEL) under a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). Bhavesh Kumar Rathod, founder and director of Soleos Energy, described the tariff as “very advantageous,” without disclosing specifics. SNEL will handle power distribution to households and businesses.

The project also enjoys a dedicated transmission corridor and government guarantees—factors that have reinforced Soleos Energy’s confidence as it seeks to develop up to 1,000 MW of solar capacity in the DRC, covering roughly one-third of the country’s 3,000 MW electricity deficit, according to Minister Aimé Sakombi Molendo.

Timothée Manoke

Orange DRC has appointed Brutus Sadou Diakité as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective September 26, 2025. The company described the Malian executive’s appointment as “a strong signal of its ambition to lead the Congolese market.” He succeeds Ben Cheick D. Haïdara, who had led the operator since October 2020 and was recently promoted to Deputy CEO and Chief Operating Officer of Orange Middle East and Africa (OMEA).

Orange currently ranks fourth out of five operators in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s telecom market. According to an ARPTC report published in August, the French operator generated $155.8 million in revenue in the first quarter of 2025, capturing a 28.2% market share. While ahead of Africell (3.6%), it still trails market leaders Airtel (36.1%) and Vodacom (32.1%)—a position it has held for several years.

In the mobile internet segment, which generates more than half of industry revenue, Orange continues to lose ground. Its market share fell by 1.2 points in Q1 2025 to 29.8%, while Airtel gained 2.8 points to reach 41.8%. The regulator attributed the shift to “users opting for better service quality.”

A similar trend is seen in the mobile money market, valued at over $100 million in Q1 2025. Orange Money fell by 0.62 points to 15.86%, while Vodacom’s M-Pesa maintained its lead at 43.7%, followed by Airtel Money at 39.93%, both slightly strengthening their positions.

To challenge the market leaders, Diakité must address the persistent issues of service quality and network reliability. Orange is betting on innovation, framing his appointment as “a strong signal of the company’s drive to accelerate innovation,” citing his digital expertise.

Diakité previously led Orange Digital Platforms, where he oversaw the rollout of the Maxit super-app, now counting 22 million active users. A longtime Orange Group executive with two decades of experience, he began his career in 2002 as a software engineer at Ikatel in Mali (now Orange Mali). He later became Deputy CEO in 2017 and subsequently CEO of Orange Guinea-Bissau. In 2023, he joined OMEA in Casablanca as Director of Orange Digital Platforms.

He holds degrees in both engineering and management: a master’s in computer engineering from Abdelmalek Essaâdi University in Tangier, an advanced master’s in telecommunications and computer science from Université Côte d’Azur, and a master’s in business management from Université Paris Panthéon-Sorbonne. He also holds two Executive MBAs, from IAE Paris–Sorbonne Business School and HEC Paris.

Timothée Manoke

The Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) Minister of Infrastructure and Public Works, John Banza, announced that repair work on the Gemena-Akula road will begin before the end of October to ease severe supply shortages that have crippled economic activity in South Ubangi province.

Banza said the government has already disbursed funds to repair both the Gemena-Akula and Ndongo roads.

The announcement followed his October 7 meeting with Senator Nadine Boboy, who urged the immediate repair of the two routes, warning that their poor condition was cutting off vital supplies to Gemena. She said the roads are now impassable for trucks, leaving passengers stranded overnight in the open. The return of seasonal rains has further worsened the situation, making traffic nearly impossible.

The 117-km Gemena-Akula road connects Gemena to the Akula river port, the main shipping point for agricultural goods headed to Kinshasa and other cities. Its repair is seen as essential to restore traffic flow and support local trade.

This latest pledge builds on earlier maintenance work launched in July by the National Road Maintenance Fund (FONER) on the same stretch. That project, financed at $681,829.96 and carried out by the Road Office, was scheduled to last 90 days, weather permitting. At the time, only 50% of the funds had been released, with the rest expected in the following weeks.

‎Ronsard Luabeya

With the October 16, 2025, launch of its new cobalt-export quota system just days away, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has yet to publish the decree required to implement it, corporate lawyer Romain Battajon said in a LinkedIn post.

Battajon, head of the Chamber of Mines’ legal commission at the Federation of Congolese Enterprises (FEC), echoed concerns widely shared across the industry.

The long-awaited decree is expected to outline the rules for granting and allocating quotas, set export fees for regulation and inspection, introduce a pre-payment mechanism for state contributions, and update customs procedures. Without it, cobalt exports cannot legally resume, effectively extending the existing export embargo beyond October 15.

The uncertainty particularly affects Chinese miner CMOC, whose Congolese subsidiaries Tenke Fungurume and Kisanfu shipped a combined 95,779 tons of cobalt in 2024. The company–majority-owned by battery producer CATL–depends on Congolese output to meet soaring demand for electric vehicles and industrial uses in China. Its trading arm, IXM, declared force majeure on supply contracts on June 30 after the embargo was extended earlier this year.

The Strategic Mineral Substances Market Regulation and Control Authority (ARECOMS) ended the embargo and announced the start of the quota regime on September 20, 2025. For the final quarter of 2025, cobalt exports will be capped at 18,125 tons–3,625 tons in October and 7,250 tons each in November and December. Annual quotas for 2026 and 2027 are set at 96,600 tons.

Boaz Kabeya

L’Autorité de régulation du secteur de l’électricité (ARE) a annoncé, le 7 octobre 2025, avoir remis le 15 septembre un avis conforme à la société Gujarat DRC SA pour son projet de centrale photovoltaïque. Ce document ouvre la voie à la signature, par le ministre de l’Énergie, de la licence de production d’électricité, condition préalable au démarrage des travaux de construction.

Le projet, à implanter dans le village de Fipango, sur le site de Kashamata, dans le territoire de Kipushi (province du Haut-Katanga), est porté par la société indienne Soleos Energy, spécialisée dans le développement des énergies renouvelables, et la société congolaise d’ingénierie électrique Melci Holdings. Les deux partenaires ont créé la coentreprise Gujarat DRC SA, chargée de sa mise en œuvre. La composition de l’actionnariat n’a pas encore été rendue publique.

Dans une communication publiée en octobre 2024 sur LinkedIn, Soleos Energy avait évoqué une centrale de 248 MW, tandis que certains médias parlaient de 200 MW. Mais selon l’ARE, il s’agit bien d’une centrale de 248 MWc (mégawatt-crête). Cette unité, propre au photovoltaïque, désigne la puissance maximale que peut délivrer une installation dans des conditions optimales (ensoleillement, température, orientation, inclinaison). Dans la pratique, une centrale solaire ne produit toutefois presque jamais sa capacité maximale de façon constante. L’expérience en Afrique montre qu’une centrale de 248 MWc génère généralement une puissance moyenne effective comprise entre 40 et un peu plus de 50 MW.

Les données fournies par l’ARE vont dans ce sens : le projet devrait alimenter environ 70 000 ménages et créer une cinquantaine d’emplois permanents ainsi que plus de 500 emplois temporaires.

Lors de la présentation initiale, les investisseurs tablaient sur une fin des travaux à l’horizon fin 2025. Mais, il y a environ quatre mois, Tshimbalanga Madiba, directeur général de Melci Holdings et directeur général adjoint de Gujarat DRC SA, avait annoncé le démarrage imminent des travaux de construction. Il avait précisé que la centrale intégrerait un système de stockage d’énergie par batteries (BESS) d’une capacité de 107 MWh.

L’électricité produite sera vendue à la Société nationale d’électricité (SNEL) dans le cadre d’un contrat d’achat d’énergie (PPA) d’une durée de 25 ans, à un tarif jugé « très avantageux » par Bhavesh Kumar Rathod, fondateur et directeur de Soleos Energy, sans plus de détails. La SNEL se chargera ensuite de la distribution aux ménages et entreprises. Le projet bénéficie également d’un corridor électrique dédié et de garanties gouvernementales.

Ces conditions renforcent la position de confiance de Soleos Energy, qui ambitionne de développer jusqu’à 1 000 MW de projets solaires en RDC, soit environ le tiers du déficit énergétique national estimé à 3 000 MW par le ministre des Ressources hydrauliques et de l’Électricité, Aimé Sakombi Molendo.

Timothée Manoke