Japanese firm Solafune has signed a definitive agreement with the National Geological Service of Congo (SGNC), the Ministry of Mines announced on August 23, 2025. The deal, signed on the sidelines of the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9), was attended by Mines Minister Louis Watum Kabamba.

The document follows a memorandum of understanding reached in July. While details were not disclosed, the ministry said the first phase of the partnership “starts immediately” and introduces a platform combining satellite remote sensing and geospatial technology with artificial intelligence. The aim is to equip Congolese geologists with modern tools to improve knowledge of the national subsoil, about 90% of which remains unexplored.

Minister Watum Kabamba described the technology transfer as “a decisive step” for national technical services, urging the SGNC to fully exploit the tools to expand geological mapping and accelerate the discovery of new deposits.

The agreement comes as mining exploration in DR Congo increasingly turns to advanced technology. U.S.-based KoBold Metals, backed by Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates, is preparing to use satellite data and AI to explore Congolese deposits. The company has applied for a research permit covering 1,600 km² and signed an agreement with the mining cadastre (CAMI) to digitize geological archives preserved at the Royal Museum for Central Africa.