The Democratic Republic of Congo has renewed import restrictions on cement bags, packaging and large industrial bags used in mining, known as “big bags”, in the country’s southeast.

Foreign Trade Minister Julien Paluku signed the order on April 17, 2026, the ministry said. The move follows similar measures introduced in 2025 to support domestic production and curb imports where local alternatives are available.

The measures provide for exemptions. Companies facing difficulties sourcing local products in certain areas may apply for an import authorization at no cost from the Ministry of Foreign Trade.

Applications must state the destination of the goods and the batch number, and include documentation approved by SEGUCE-RDC, the country’s integrated foreign trade single window. Applications may be rejected without it.

The restrictions benefit domestic packaging producers, including Bags & Sacks, which operates a manufacturing plant in Lubumbashi.

The plant, launched in 2023, produces bags for cement and agricultural products, as well as big bags for the mining sector.

According to the company, the facility has an annual capacity of 2 million big bags and 36 million bags for the mining, cement and agricultural sectors.

Bags & Sacks received financial support from the Fonds de promotion de l’industrie (FPI) to set up operations in Haut-Katanga province. The company is also in talks with the institution for additional credit to expand its product range and strengthen its working capital.

Timothée Manoke