News (979)
Dubai-based Paradigm Holdings announced on April 28, 2026, that it had signed a gold supply agreement with the Congolese government, as part of its international expansion in the precious metals sector. The Congolese authorities have not disclosed details of the deal.
According to Paradigm Holdings, the partnership aims to establish a formalized gold supply network from the DRC while strengthening the UAE’s role as a precious metals trading, refining and distribution hub. The company describes the agreement as its third government-backed partnership in Africa in less than two years.
The announcement does not specify the volumes involved, the duration of the agreement, the applicable tax framework or the identity of the Congolese signatory. It also provides no details on traceability mechanisms, which are considered essential in a sector vulnerable to smuggling, money laundering and the financing of armed groups.
Commercially, the UAE is already among the top destinations for Congolese gold, alongside South Africa. According to Congolese mining statistics for 2025, nearly three metric tons of gold were exported to the UAE, valued at more than $337 million.
Paradigm Holdings describes itself as a private investment group active in commodities, real estate and clean energy. The company says it is developing operations in the extraction, trading and management of precious metals, gemstones and rare earths, with a presence in the Middle East, Africa and South America.
The Primera Gold precedent
Since 2023, the DRC has sought to formalize part of its artisanal gold production through Primera Gold DRC, a joint venture between the Congolese state and an Emirati partner. The arrangement enabled the export of more than five metric tons of artisanal gold in 2023, worth more than $300 million, before Kinshasa reasserted full control over Primera Gold in late 2024 and renamed it DRC Gold Trading.
That partnership with the UAE was presented as part of an official strategy to combat fraud and smuggling, particularly in the country’s east. However, the Primera Gold model drew criticism over its lack of transparency and tax advantages, as well as doubts about its actual capacity to clean up supply chains. U.N. experts noted that the preferential conditions granted to Primera Gold created a near-monopoly over legal artisanal gold exports.
The arrival of Paradigm Holdings could mark a new chapter in the gold relationship between Kinshasa and the UAE. For the DRC, the issue goes beyond opening a new commercial outlet. The central question is whether this new corridor will genuinely increase formal exports, secure public revenues and improve traceability in a sector historically dominated by informal networks.
Ronsard Luabeya
French renewable energy developer InnoVent is exploring an expansion into the Democratic Republic of Congo. ANAPI announced the move on April 28, 2026, after a delegation from the group began an exploratory visit on April 25.
Talks between InnoVent representatives and the agency focused on incentives for foreign investors. ANAPI said the company is interested in Congo’s energy potential as electricity demand rises and new capacity is needed.
The delegation requested details on incentives under the Investment Code, including tax and related benefits, as well as legal guarantees for investors.
ANAPI outlined the eligibility conditions, including setting up a company under Congolese law, submitting a structured investment plan, complying with environmental standards, and committing to local workforce training and value creation.
The agency said it is ready to support the investor throughout the process, from legal setup to project implementation.
According to ANAPI, InnoVent plans to start operations in the DRC before the end of 2026, with a first solar and wind plant in Kinshasa expected about 12 months after construction begins.
Founded in 2001 by Grégoire Verhaeghe, InnoVent develops and operates renewable energy infrastructure. The company operates in several African markets, including Namibia, Senegal, Morocco and Kenya.
The expansion comes as the DRC seeks to diversify its power mix and improve access to electricity, which remains limited. Fewer than a quarter of the population currently has access, according to official data, while the government targets 62.5% by 2030.
Ronsard Luabeya
The African Development Bank (AfDB) approved $48.83 million on April 29, 2026, in Abidjan, to fund a crisis response project for conflict-affected people in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The financing supports the Crisis Response Project to Assist Affected Populations in the East, known by its French acronym PRECAPE, and targets Uvira in South Kivu, and Beni and Walikale in North Kivu.
The package includes a $33.91 million loan, alongside grants from the Transition Support Facility and the African Development Fund. The funding aims to address the immediate needs of crisis-affected communities while supporting the recovery of local economic activity.
The project will rehabilitate and equip several basic infrastructure facilities, including five vocational training centers, seven schools and seven health centers, as well as markets and water and sanitation facilities.
PRECAPE also includes measures to support employment and human capital. It will train 1,500 young people in high-demand trades, provide capacity-building support for 2,000 people, and offer psychosocial and medical assistance to 4,500 women survivors of gender-based violence.
According to the AfDB, more than 800,000 people, including internally displaced persons and host communities, are expected to benefit from the program.
The project will also explore innovative initiatives, including the tokenization of natural resources, notably gold and carbon, to mobilize alternative financing and improve incomes for rural communities.
This funding is part of a series of recent AfDB interventions in the DRC. In February 2026, the institution committed $49.6 million for the Regional Program to Support Infrastructure Development and the Enhancement of Transboundary Water Resources, known as PREDIRE, covering the provinces of North Ubangi, South Ubangi and Mongala.
Boaz Kabeya
A technical mission from the Sino-Congolese Infrastructure Company (SISC S.A.), which is implementing a Sicomines-funded program under the mines-for-infrastructure deal, is expected to visit Tshikapa, in Kasai province, in May 2026 to prepare for the rehabilitation of the local airport.
The announcement followed an April 27 meeting in Kinshasa between Governor Crispin Mukendi Bukasa and company officials, local media reported.
The mission will conduct preparatory work, including a site assessment, ahead of a possible launch of modernization works at the facility. Discussions focused on technical and organizational aspects of the project.
The start of construction depends on resolving several administrative issues, particularly those linked to a previously awarded contract, which must be clarified before work can begin.
Tshikapa airport has been closed since Nov. 22, 2025, after heavy rains rendered its runway unusable. Provincial authorities said its condition no longer allowed aircraft to land.
The governor of Kasai also referred to a rehabilitation project announced about a year ago, noting that a $400,000 pre-financing arrangement had not led to any work.
Tshikapa airport is among the infrastructure projects included in the Sino-Congolese program, though financing and implementation details are still being finalized. In 2025, discussions focused on the financial guarantees required for the project. The Agency for Steering, Coordination and Monitoring of Collaboration Agreements (APCSC) had sought support from a bank to help structure the financing.
Boaz Kabeya
A petroleum storage infrastructure project in the Grand Kasaï region has entered a new phase with the involvement of a private-sector partner.
On April 28, 2026, Hydrocarbons Minister Acacia Bandubola chaired a meeting with a delegation from Okapi International, in the presence of the Public-Private Partnership Advisory and Coordination Unit (UCPPP).
UCPPP’s presence suggests the project is being structured as a public-private partnership. However, no timeline has been announced and no detailed financing framework has been made public. Okapi International’s director general, Simplice Mulumba, nonetheless expressed optimism about the project’s prospects.
Securing supply
As early as January 2026, a joint team from the ministries of Hydrocarbons and Land Affairs was sent to Grand Kasaï to assess potential sites for the infrastructure. Key locations include Kabeya Kamwanga, Ndomba and Mwene-Ditu. The mission confirmed the project’s land and logistical feasibility.
The project includes petroleum storage centres aimed at building local reserves and ensuring supply, as well as modular stations to facilitate distribution in landlocked areas and reduce the risk of shortages. The broader goal is to create an integrated logistics chain that brings fuel closer to consumption zones and reduces reliance on distant supply networks.
Okapi International is described in sector records as a company operating in downstream petroleum activities, particularly in distribution and supply chains. Its involvement points to logistics and operational solutions tailored to local constraints.
The initiative is part of the Hydrocarbons Ministry’s 2026 priorities, which include expanding storage capacity, building new logistics infrastructure and rehabilitating existing facilities. It also builds on earlier announcements on the creation of new storage centres across the country to improve energy security and fuel availability.
Grand Kasaï, encompassing Kasaï Oriental, Kasaï Central, Kasaï, Lomami and Sankuru, remains a landlocked region far from main supply corridors, including maritime ports and logistics hubs in Katanga. For several years, petroleum operators have highlighted challenges affecting distribution in the region, citing limited storage capacity, reliance on long and costly supply routes, deteriorating roads and weak logistics capacity.
As early as 2022, recommendations were made to address these issues, including building storage centres, developing service stations in remote areas, rehabilitating roads and waterways, and strengthening transport capacity, particularly rail.
Ronsard Luabeya
President Félix Tshisekedi outlined six priority areas to modernize the Democratic Republic of Congo’s postal and telecommunications sector and strengthen digital security at the opening of the first national conference on Posts and Telecommunications on Monday in Kinshasa.
The priorities include expanding infrastructure, updating the legal, regulatory and tax framework, improving service quality, promoting digital and financial inclusion, developing human capital, and strengthening technological sovereignty and digital security.
For the government, the challenge is no longer simply to connect more citizens, but also to exert greater control over key infrastructure, data and networks. The initiative comes as the country prepares its National Digital Plan 2026–2030 (PNN2) and its first National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, both aimed at positioning the DRC as a regional digital hub by 2030.
Connectivity
Expanding connectivity remains the most immediate priority. The government plans to accelerate fiber optic deployment, strengthen the national backbone, develop inter-provincial links and use satellite or hybrid solutions to reach remote areas. The goal is to reduce the wide access gap between urban centers and rural regions.
Reform of the regulatory and tax framework is also seen as critical. Tshisekedi called for a clearer and more attractive environment for private investment. The reform is widely expected in a sector where tax pressure is frequently cited as a major obstacle to network expansion and lower costs for users.
Digital inclusion is another priority. The government aims to bring rural populations, youth, women and small businesses further into the digital economy. This includes expanding digital education, seen as a driver of employability, innovation and competitiveness.
By placing technological sovereignty and digital security at the core of its roadmap, the government aims to turn the DRC into a digital nation by 2030, while strengthening protection for data, public systems and critical infrastructure.
PM
The total value of contracts reported by major companies in the Democratic Republic of Congo fell sharply in 2025, according to a statistical report by the Authority for the Regulation of Subcontracting in the Private Sector (ARSP), covering the 2023–2025 period.
After reaching $2.456 billion in 2024, the total dropped to $1.713 billion in 2025, a decline of about 30.2%. The $743 million contraction marks a reversal after growth between 2023 and 2024, when reported contracts rose from $2.001 billion to $2.456 billion.
The mining provinces of Lualaba and Haut-Katanga were the most affected. In Lualaba, reported contracts fell from $1.718 billion to $943.4 million in 2025, a drop of about 45%. In Haut-Katanga, they declined from $403 million to $246.6 million, down nearly 39%.
Diverging trends among major clients
The overall decline was uneven across key operators. Kamoa Copper showed a sharp break in the data. After reported contracts rose from $262.9 million in 2023 to $646 million in 2024, the figure fell to just $696,231 in 2025.
Kamoto Copper Company (KCC) also recorded a steep decline, with reported contracts dropping from $419 million in 2024 to $196 million in 2025, a fall of about 53%.
The report does not indicate whether these declines reflect reduced activity, underreporting, or data issues.
By contrast, Tenke Fungurume Mining (TFM), one of the country’s major clients, posted growth, with reported contracts rising from $296.2 million in 2024 to $476.8 million in 2025, an increase of about 61%.
Sicomines also expanded its activity, with contracts increasing from $510.8 million to $627.1 million, up around 23%. Several subcontractors followed the trend. CRSN Construction Minière saw contracts rise from $224.4 million to $245.4 million, while Nenda Mbele SAS increased from $1.6 million to $7.7 million.
The data points to a widening gap among major operators. In 2025, TFM and Sicomines increased their reported volumes, while Kamoa and KCC posted sharp declines.
The report suggests the trend reflects not a uniform downturn in mining subcontracting, but a market shaped by variations in reporting practices, investment cycles and contract structures across companies.
Boaz Kabeya
The Democratic Republic of Congo's transport ministry announced Monday that Air Congo is set to receive a new ATR 72-600 aircraft on Thursday, April 30, 2026.
The announcement followed a meeting held Monday, April 27, between Vice Prime Minister and Transport Minister Jean-Pierre Bemba, Ethiopian Airlines CEO Mesfin Tasew Bekele, and Air Congo Director General Mesfin Biru Weldegeorgis.
The ministry said the 70-seat aircraft will help strengthen the carrier's domestic operations, in a market where domestic air connectivity remains limited. The Congolese state holds a 51% stake in Air Congo.
New domestic routes
A few days before the transport ministry's announcement, Air Congo had announced new domestic routes, including Beni, Bunia, Isiro, Gbadolite and Kalemie, with a route to Bunia set to begin on May 1, 2026.
The incoming aircraft is the first of two new ATR 72-600s leased by Ethiopian Airlines for Air Congo's operations. Ethiopian Airlines holds a 49% stake in the Congolese carrier. In November 2025, ATR said the two aircraft were scheduled to enter service in February 2026.
The schedule has since slipped. In early March, Air Congo's director general told aviation trade publication Ch-aviation that the first delivery was now expected in early or mid-April 2026. He attributed the delay to several factors, including tests conducted by the manufacturer and visa difficulties faced by Ethiopian Airlines technicians and Ethiopian civil aviation authority personnel who needed to travel to France.
Timothée Manoke
The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) plans to expand across the mining value chain in the Democratic Republic of Congo, focusing on developing investment-ready projects.
The strategy was outlined in a statement released on April 23, 2026, following a mining value chain forum held on April 21 in Lualaba province. The event brought together mining operators, subcontractors, financial institutions and public-sector stakeholders to discuss financing constraints in the sector.
Afreximbank says the DRC’s mining potential remains underfunded due to a shortage of bankable projects. To address this, the bank plans to deploy several instruments, including asset-backed financing to mobilize long-term capital and a project preparation facility to support projects early in their development. The aim is to turn mining opportunities into projects that meet structured finance requirements.
The bank is also expanding its scope beyond extraction to cover the broader mining ecosystem. The plan targets mining companies, subcontractors, logistics operators, energy providers and small and medium-sized enterprises. The shift reflects a broader view that value creation depends not only on natural resources, but also on infrastructure, services and local players around mining sites.
Strengthening the role of local banks
Afreximbank is also relying on Congolese banks to mobilize financing. It plans to expand co-financing and guarantee mechanisms to increase lending capacity while managing risk. The strategy aims to unlock more domestic capital and improve credit flows to strategic sectors.
The bank also intends to roll out trade finance tools, including export pre-financing and factoring, to improve liquidity for businesses—particularly SMEs involved in mining subcontracting. These instruments could help firms with limited access to credit expand operations and integrate more deeply into the value chain.
The initiative builds on Afreximbank’s existing operations in the DRC. The bank is involved in developing special economic zones focused on battery and electric vehicle production under a regional project with Zambia. It is also financing a 200-megawatt hydroelectric project on the Lufira River to support the mining sector’s energy needs, including technical, financial and legal structuring.
Ronsard Luabeya
Fonds de garantie de l'entrepreneuriat (FOGEC) has strengthened its partnership with Bisou Bisou microfinance institution through a $1 million guarantee to expand access to credit for women and young entrepreneurs.
According to a FOGEC statement published on April 24, 2026, the funds come from a private donation raised to support youth and women entrepreneurs. The amount has been placed in a fixed-term account with Bisou Bisou to serve as collateral for new loans.
Two financial products
Two financial products are covered under the arrangement. The first, called "Elubu ya mamans," targets women working in the informal catering sector, particularly those running small roadside eateries commonly known as "mamans malewa." It provides credit tailored to their business needs.
The second product, "Bilenge ya motuya," is aimed at young entrepreneurs aged 18 to 35, as well as micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. It provides financing to help them stabilize or grow their businesses.
For FOGEC and Bisou Bisou, the arrangement is meant to address the financing needs of small entrepreneurs, who are often excluded from conventional credit markets due to insufficient collateral.
The initiative follows a first phase launched several months earlier in support of rural women, particularly those organized within the Réseau national des femmes rurales (RENAFER). A $2 million guarantee was announced at the time, with individual loans of up to $5,000.
Ronsard Luabeya
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A Congolese civil society organization is calling for a broad judicial investigation into public procurement contracts at a fund created to compensate victims of Ugandan military operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The Centre de recherche en finances publiques et développement local (CREFDL) issued the call after the Justice Ministry ordered the prosecutor-general at the Court of Cassation on April 17, 2026, to open an investigation into a contract awarded to a company called DIVO SARL.
In a statement published April 23, CREFDL urged authorities to broaden the investigation beyond that single contract to cover all public procurement by the Fonds de réparation et d'indemnisation des victimes des activités illicites de l'Ouganda en RDC (FRIVAO). The organization estimated the total value of contracts it considers irregular at $34.6 million for the period 2022 to 2025. Those payments, CREFDL said, were made in violation of public procurement law and should be examined by the courts.
CREFDL's call came as Chançard Bolukola, who served as FRIVAO's national coordinator between August 2024 and July 2025, remains detained. Bolukola was arrested on July 25, 2025, and faces charges including the alleged embezzlement of funds intended for victims and breaches of public procurement rules. CREFDL said the ongoing judicial proceedings align with the recommendations set out in its civil society investigation report published in September 2025.
$195 million received, 2% paid to victims
According to that report, FRIVAO received nearly $195 million between 2022 and 2024, part of which was designated to compensate victims of the Kisangani war. CREFDL said, however, that only $2.08 million had actually been paid to victims as of October 8, 2024, representing less than 2% of the $105.1 million allocated for that purpose.
The April 23 statement listed several contested payments: $14.9 million to Congo Energy for the rehabilitation of the Tshopo power plant, $9 million to SNEL for Kisangani's electrical grid, $4 million to the ICCN for Kisangani's zoological and botanical garden, and $1.75 million to OVDA Tshopo for a peace stabilization project.
The DIVO SARL contract, which prompted the Justice Ministry's original order, also appears on CREFDL's list. It involves an advance payment of $512,000 for the production of a documentary on the GENOCOST. In its April 17 statement, the Justice Ministry cited strong indications of irregularities, including the disbursement of more than $1 million, the absence of deliverables meeting contractual standards, and alleged violations of public financial management rules.
From his cell at Makala central prison, Bolukola disputes the account that the documentary cost $1.6 million and runs only six minutes. In a handwritten letter dated April 19, 2026, and relayed by Actualite.cd, he said the contract was instead worth $640,000 before taxes and that the film runs approximately one hour and 14 minutes. He also rejected the accusations against his management of the fund.
That dispute sharpens the stakes of the judicial investigation, which will need to establish the actual amount committed, the payments made, whether deliverables meet contractual standards, and who is responsible for managing the funds intended for victims.
Boaz Kabeya
DR Congo’s hydrocarbons minister has announced a plan to expand fuel storage capacity in Grand Équateur.
According to the ministry, the project involves reopening storage sites in Businga, North Ubangi province, and Akula, South Ubangi province, both inactive for more than two decades. The plan was announced after talks with SEP Congo and Cobil, two companies involved in fuel storage.
“Decisions have been made. We are about to begin an analysis phase with SEP Congo teams. Everyone is now aligned on reopening these sites,” said Malick Ndiaye, director general of SEP Congo.
The initiative follows earlier failed attempts. According to Radio Okapi, a plan to rehabilitate the Businga site was discussed with SEP Congo in 2019 but never implemented. The site is now reported to be in severe disrepair after years of inactivity.
Boaz Kabeya
Agro-industrial company Plantations et Huileries du Congo (PHC) has announced the exit of the Congolese state from its shareholding, following a recapitalization process launched in 2025 to strengthen its operational capacity.
According to PHC, the company sought a capital increase from shareholders to support its modernization strategy. The Congolese state, a minority shareholder with a 23.8% stake, did not participate due to a lack of allocated budget from the Ministry of Portfolio.
PHC described the move as a “responsible and voluntary” decision, taken in compliance with OHADA law, the company’s bylaws and applicable governance rules.This move strengthens the position of Kuramo Capital, which has held a majority stake in PHC since 2020, previously at around 76.2%.
A shareholder since 2017, Kuramo Capital said it has supported PHC’s turnaround through investments aimed at modernizing operations and improving productivity. The investor said production has doubled over five years with only a limited increase in cultivated area, while the number of women employed has tripled.
PHC has operated in the Democratic Republic of Congo since 1911 and operates three industrial sites at Boteka, Yaligimba and Lokutu. The company controls more than 100,000 hectares of concessions, including around 30,000 hectares of oil palm plantations, and employs more than 11,000 people.
Production has remained relatively stable in recent years. After producing around 80,000 metric tons of palm oil in 2023, PHC is targeting 81,000 metric tons in 2025, with a goal of reaching 100,000 metric tons by 2026.
The company also plans to develop its own palm oil refinery to expand local processing and better serve the domestic market.
Ronsard Luabeya
China’s Zijin Mining is developing a logistics corridor to connect its Manono lithium project in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Tanganyika province to ports in Tanzania, and is nearing completion of four cargo vessels to operate on Lake Tanganyika.
Construction of the vessels was more than 95% complete as of March 2026, according to Tanzanian newspaper The Citizen. Two had been completed, a third was awaiting approval from the Tanzania Shipping Agencies Corporation (TASAC), and a fourth had just been launched and is due for completion in July 2026.
Zijin said in November 2025 it had launched the first bulk carrier in the series, Golden Voyage No. 1, describing it as a key link in a future export route between the DRC and Tanzania. Each vessel measures 70.08 meters in length and 15 meters in width, with a carrying capacity of 2,000 tons and a range of 1,000 nautical miles.
The ships were built in modular sections in China by Shandong Xinneng Shipbuilding and shipped to Tanzania for final assembly at the port of Karema. Golden Voyage Logistics, a Zijin subsidiary, applied for space at the port to launch the project in October 2023, according to The Citizen.
Multimodal logistics corridor
The fleet will primarily support the supply chain for the Manono lithium project. Output will be transported by road over roughly 440 km from Manono to Kalemie, then loaded onto vessels on Lake Tanganyika bound for Kigoma, before being moved overland to Dar es Salaam for export.
The lake operation forms part of a broader logistics strategy. In August 2025, Zijin signed a concession agreement with Tanzania to operate the port of Kigoma and the Malindi terminal at the port of Dar es Salaam, alongside a modernization program covering warehouses, storage areas and cargo-handling equipment.
On the industrial side, the Manono project is designed for an annual mining and processing capacity of five million tons of ore. The facility is expected to process 500,000 tons of spodumene concentrate to produce about 95,170 tons of crude lithium sulfate per year, with commissioning scheduled for June 30, 2026.
In this context, deploying the vessels on Lake Tanganyika is key to securing Zijin’s export corridor from eastern DRC to the Indian Ocean.
Timothée Manoke