Soraya Aziz was appointed Director General of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Electricity Regulatory Authority (ARE), according to presidential decrees read out on state broadcaster RTNC on Feb. 23, 2026.

She replaces Sandrine Mubenga Ngalula, who had led the regulator since July 2020. Mubenga Ngalula will join the authority’s board.

In the same round of appointments, Jean-Marie Beya Kamba was named chairman of the board, while Marco Kuyu was retained as deputy director general, partially reshuffling ARE’s leadership while preserving continuity.

Before joining ARE, Aziz worked at the National Agency for Electrification and Energy Services in Rural Areas (ANSER), where she held roles in communications, stakeholder engagement and partnerships. Her work involved off-grid electrification projects, financing arrangements and public-private partnerships.

Those issues have become central in a sector where the government is seeking to accelerate investment while tightening oversight of operators. Under the National Energy Compact, a roadmap to raise electricity access from 21.5% to 62.5% by 2030, the country estimates it will need $20 billion in private investment.

ARE has reported an increase in activity. In a report published in late December 2025, it said it had reviewed 104 cases across the electricity value chain, including generation, transmission, distribution and retail supply. For 2025, it also cited a pipeline of 23 generation projects under assessment, with combined capacity of 1,951.3 megawatts from solar and hydropower, which would increase national capacity once completed.

In a sector long constrained by underinvestment and weak service quality, ARE plays a strategic role. The regulator is expected to clarify the regulatory framework, oversee tariffs, protect consumers, enforce operator obligations and accelerate approvals without compromising technical standards.

The appointment signals President Felix Tshisekedi’s focus on a key institution in the country’s electricity governance. Whether ARE under Aziz can turn regulatory oversight into a tangible driver of modernisation remains to be seen in a country where electricity remains a major economic and social challenge.

Boaz Kabeya