The Office des voiries et drainage (OVD) has awarded a contract to Safrimex SARLU to rehabilitate and modernize 89.78 kilometres of roads in Mbuji-Mayi, in the eastern province of Kasaï-Oriental.

The provisional award, signed on April 23, 2026, by OVD Director General Victor Tumba Tshikela, values the contract at $317.37 million, including taxes. The document does not specify the scope of work. Based on the total road length, the project implies an average cost of about $3.53 million per kilometre.

According to the award notice, the process began in January 2026, when the OVD sought special authorisation to use a restricted tender. Approval was granted on Feb. 25, ahead of bid evaluation and the issuance of a no-objection clearance in April.

Several companies were invited to bid, including Safrimex SARLU, China Guangdong Provincial Changda Highway Engineering Co. Ltd, Colosse Construction Corp, Groupe Guang Ping International, Hong Feng, Bahari Engineering SARL, Janamapa, Koya SARLU and Constellation Business. Safrimex was provisionally selected.

Provisional award likely to be confirmed

The provisional award is expected to become final unless challenged by unsuccessful bidders. Under Congolese public procurement rules, bidders have five business days to file an appeal. If no appeal is lodged, or once any appeal is reviewed, the contract can be finalised and signed.

The award comes about two months after the same company delivered 35 kilometres of newly asphalted roads in Mbuji-Mayi. According to public media reports, the project was completed and accepted in February 2026 after 36 months of work. The cost of that earlier project was not disclosed in the sources reviewed.

Safrimex is part of the Socimex Group, founded in 1998 by entrepreneur Ibrahim Ahmad Issaoui. In addition to Safrimex, which focuses on construction and engineering, the group includes several other entities: Socimex, active in food imports and exports; Congo Oil and Derivatives, in the palm oil sector; Socitrans, which provides road transport between Matadi, Kinshasa and Bandundu; Central Motors, a distributor of Hyundai and Mazda vehicles; and Sonades, which operates in power and electrification.

Timothée Manoke