A group of Polish investors is considering setting up a mining equipment manufacturing plant in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the mining sector remains heavily dependent on imported machinery. The group presented the project to Mines Minister Louis Watum Kabamba at a meeting on April 29, 2026.

The delegation was led by Dawid Kostempski, a former local politician in Poland, and included Marie-Claire Kengo, president of the DRC-Poland Friendship and Cooperation Network. Their involvement highlights the project’s economic and diplomatic dimensions, although it remains at an early stage.

Focus of the talks

According to the Ministry of Mines, discussions focused on how to structure the investment project, which aims to establish a manufacturing plant for machinery used in mineral extraction and processing.

Beyond equipment production, the initiative includes a technical training and skills transfer component for Congolese executives and technicians. It is part of the government’s broader strategy to strengthen local value creation and build an industrial base around the mining sector.

In the DRC, mining equipment supply relies heavily on imports. This dependence poses significant challenges in terms of costs, delivery times and technological control.

Companies such as CIS SARL supply and maintain equipment used at mining sites, while other firms, particularly in Lualaba, operate in engineering and technical support. However, the country still lacks a structured local industry for large-scale mining equipment manufacturing.

In that context, if it moves forward, the project led by Polish investors could introduce a largely undeveloped activity in the DRC: local manufacturing of mining equipment. For now, the project remains at an early stage, with details on the investment model, industrial partners, potential sites and implementation timeline yet to be clarified.

Boaz Kabeya