News (946)
Air Congo took delivery of a new ATR 72-600 aircraft at N’djili International Airport on May 21, 2026, during a ceremony presided over by Deputy Prime Minister for Transport Jean-Pierre Bemba and attended by company executives.
The 70-seat turboprop is the second ATR 72-600 acquired by the airline as part of efforts to strengthen its domestic operations. Its arrival brings Air Congo’s operational fleet to five aircraft in less than 18 months.
The delivery follows an announcement made by the Transport Ministry in late April 2026 regarding the phased delivery of two aircraft aimed at expanding domestic services. The planes are expected to support the extension of Air Congo’s network to several cities across the Democratic Republic of Congo, including Bunia, Beni, Isiro, Gbadolite and Kalemie.
The aircraft are operated under a partnership between the Congolese state, which holds a 51% stake in Air Congo, and Ethiopian Airlines, the carrier’s strategic partner with the remaining 49%.
By expanding its fleet, Air Congo aims to improve domestic air connectivity in a country where several provinces remain difficult to access by road.
Boaz Kabeya
The Democratic Republic of Congo's Inspectorate General of Finance (IGF) plans to spend $39 million over the next three years to modernize its oversight of public spending, as the institution seeks to shift toward a data-driven control system based on interconnected government databases and artificial intelligence.
According to the IGF, $22 million in financing has already been secured, covering nearly 56% of the project's total cost. The institution still needs to mobilize about $17 million, including through additional credit lines in the state investment budget.
The reform plan was presented by IGF chief Christophe Bitasimwa. It aims to overhaul public finance control methods by reducing reliance on periodic field inspection missions in favor of a more permanent, systemic and preventive oversight model.
The strategy centers on linking the IGF to several government information systems, including those used by financial authorities, customs services, payroll management, public procurement agencies and other institutions involved in managing state revenues and expenditures.
Data-driven oversight
The infrastructure is expected to enable cross-checking of data across administrations, identification of inconsistencies, risk mapping and faster detection of potential fraud, tax evasion and misuse of public funds.
The IGF also plans to move toward a more analytical oversight approach. Retrospective and real-time audits are expected to be gradually supplemented by forward-looking controls based on historical data analysis, digital traceability and automated analytical tools. Artificial intelligence is expected to play a central role in the reform.
The initiative follows several audit operations through which the IGF says it generated substantial savings for the state. According to the institution, it contributed to around $690 million in savings on repayments linked to state-backed loans.
The IGF also says it identified 38,597 ghost workers and 1,007 duplicate records in government payroll files, with a combined monthly fiscal impact estimated at 15.786 billion Congolese francs.
The success of the modernization plan will depend on several factors, including securing the remaining financing, strengthening technical capabilities and ensuring effective integration of public databases.
The project also faces structural challenges related to internet connectivity, electricity supply, cybersecurity and domestic hosting of sensitive public data.
Ronsard Luabeya
DR Congo's Economic Regulation Fund (FOREC) launched a potato seed subsidy program on May 14, 2026, in Mbanza-Ngungu, Kongo Central province, to support the revival of local production.
According to a statement from the Ministry of National Economy, the initiative supports the Nsimabani Vegetable Growers' Cooperative Union, which brings together 11 agricultural associations, through a project submitted to FOREC.
The program aims to support local producers, improve domestic potato supply and gradually reduce dependence on imports. FOREC Executive Secretary Jean-Paul Nemoyato said the initiative marked a pilot phase that could lead to broader support measures in the coming years.
The launch follows the signing in Kinshasa of a memorandum of understanding between stakeholders involved in developing the potato sector.
Earlier initiatives in Mbanza-Ngungu
Mbanza-Ngungu has already hosted several initiatives aimed at reviving potato cultivation. In January 2026, Frico Agri Art and the cooperative Viva Kongo signed a partnership agreement to strengthen production through certified seeds, enhanced technical support and the use of Dutch agricultural technology.
The partnership includes a 10-hectare pilot cultivation phase in 2026 aimed at improving yields, reducing post-harvest losses and increasing potato availability in local markets.
The area had previously been selected for agronomic trials linked to industrial processing. In July 2025, the Congolese Press Agency (ACP) reported encouraging results after three months of trials using seeds supplied by Italian company Amica Chips. Some varieties performed well, while others required further evaluation.
During the visit, Muhindo Nzangi, then Minister of State for Rural Development, said the objective was to identify the most suitable varieties, strengthen agricultural cooperatives and prepare the ground for a future local potato processing unit.
With FOREC's latest intervention, the sector has received additional public support focused on access to seeds. The main challenge now will be turning these pilot projects into sustained production capable of supplying domestic markets and eventually supporting a local processing industry.
Ronsard Luabeya
The European Union on May 19 launched a 15 million euro ($17 million) ElectriFI investment window for the Democratic Republic of Congo aimed at financing decentralized electricity projects, including mini-grids and solar home systems.
The initiative was unveiled in Kinshasa in the presence of Minister of Hydraulic Resources and Electricity Aimé Sakombi Molendo, representatives of the European Union, EDFI Management Company and Team Europe.
According to Congolese authorities, the funding is intended to accelerate financing for community-based energy projects with strong social impact. The program is expected to support mini-grids, solar home systems, independent power production projects and other decentralized energy solutions.
The targeted projects will focus primarily on areas considered strategic for economic development and regional integration, including the Lobito Corridor, the Kivu-Kinshasa green corridor and areas surrounding the Upemba and Virunga national parks.
“This 15 million euro allocation for the DRC is a strong signal,” Sakombi Molendo said, describing the initiative as a sign of growing confidence in reforms undertaken in Congo’s energy sector.
ElectriFI is an EU-funded investment facility designed to support small-scale or early-stage energy projects in emerging markets, with a particular focus on sub-Saharan Africa. The mechanism aims to expand access to electricity from sustainable energy sources while attracting private capital to markets considered underfinanced or higher risk.
The facility is managed by Dutch development bank FMO and EDFI Management Company, which brings together several European development finance institutions. Its financing model combines higher-risk investments with technical assistance to support projects that often cannot secure conventional financing.
According to European Commission data, ElectriFI totals 254 million euros, including more than 236 million euros financed by the European Union. The ElectriFI Global program, launched in 2016, has mobilized nearly 126 million euros alongside several international partners, including under the Power Africa initiative.
Before the DRC, several African countries had already benefited from similar investment windows supporting rural electrification and decentralized energy projects.
ElectriFI’s launch comes as the Congolese government seeks to accelerate electrification in rural areas and strategic economic corridors. Kinshasa is increasingly turning to decentralized energy solutions to support mining, industrial, agricultural and logistics activities in regions with limited access to the national grid.
In a country where energy shortages remain one of the main barriers to economic development, authorities are also seeking to attract more private investment into electricity infrastructure, as financing needs in the sector remain substantial.
Boaz Kabeya
New details have emerged about the structure of the Kinshasa tramway project, which is being developed by a consortium comprising Frateur-De Pourcq, Prume Tramway RDC and PowerChina. Following a meeting held on May 19, 2026 with consortium representatives, the Congolese Agency for Major Works (ACGT) announced that the project would be developed under a public-private partnership (PPP) involving the transfer of two cobalt and copper mines to the Tramways Kinshasa consortium.
According to the same source, the project would be fully financed by PowerChina through a “minerals for infrastructure” mechanism. The ACGT said the project would be carried out “without any impact on the state budget.”
The arrangement echoes the model adopted under a 2008 contract between the Democratic Republic of Congo and a consortium of Chinese companies, under which public infrastructure projects were financed in exchange for mining rights granted to Sicomines. Such mechanisms are intended to address infrastructure gaps in a context where the government’s fiscal capacity remains limited.
At this stage, however, several key details have yet to be disclosed, including the identity of the mines involved, the value of the mining rights, the project’s total cost and the precise legal framework governing the partnership. Those details will be critical in assessing the soundness of the arrangement and determining whether lessons from the 2008 Sino-Congolese agreement have been incorporated into the new project.
Since its signing, the 2008 contract has faced recurring criticism, notably over the opacity surrounding loans, mining and infrastructure investments, and revenues generated by Sicomines, as well as the absence of a competitive tender process and the risk of cost overruns. A technical and financial audit was launched last March to examine the implementation of the deal more closely.
Ambitious timetable
The Kinshasa tramway project calls for the construction of seven main lines totaling 323 kilometers of prefabricated hybrid track. The first phase is expected to include three priority lines: a 32-kilometer Kintambo-Ndolo-Matete-N’djili International Airport route with 32 stations; a 24-kilometer Kintambo-UNIKIN-Matete line with 25 stations; and an underground express line modeled on Line 17 of the Grand Paris Express.
According to the consortium, preliminary studies based on historical maps of the capital identified the need to build 173 bridges between the city center and N’djili International Airport. The consortium nevertheless projects that the first underground express tramway line will enter service on Nov. 27, 2027.
Several steps remain before the project can move forward, including finalizing a binding implementation timetable, coordinating technical studies, securing the financing structure and signing the PPP agreement. In February, during a meeting with Jean-Pierre Van Erps, coordinator of the Tramways de Kinshasa consortium, Infrastructure and Public Works Minister John Banza reaffirmed the government’s intention to accelerate the project’s operational phase and formalize the public-private partnership structure.
The Kinshasa tramway is being presented as a response to the city’s worsening mobility challenges. With an estimated population of more than 17 million inhabitants, Kinshasa is one of Africa’s largest urban agglomerations and suffers from a chronic lack of reliable mass transit infrastructure. Traffic congestion imposes a significant economic cost, weighing on productivity, travel times and commercial activity.
Ronsard Luabeya
Kamoto Copper Company SA (KCC), a subsidiary of Swiss mining group Glencore, is accelerating the integration of its logistics operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The company announced the upcoming opening of a customs office and a one-stop shop directly at its Kolwezi mining site in Lualaba Province.
In a statement published on LinkedIn in mid-May 2026, KCC said the infrastructure is intended to centralize all public services involved in customs and export procedures at a single location. The company said the initiative is designed to streamline administrative procedures, reduce processing times and improve logistics flows linked to its mining operations.
“This initiative marks an important step forward in the simplification and modernization of our logistics processes,” the company said, adding that it aims to speed up truck clearance and improve coordination among stakeholders involved in import-export operations.
Streamlining exports
In the Congolese mining sector, which relies heavily on copper and cobalt exports, the speed of administrative procedures is a strategic issue. Customs delays, truck downtime and slow document processing can increase logistics costs, reduce equipment turnover and disrupt production schedules.
Locating customs services closer to mining sites is not new in the DRC. Several major operators already use customs-approved bonded warehouses or accelerated export clearance mechanisms.
The DRC’s mining procedures manual provides for coordination among several agencies — including the General Directorate of Customs and Excise (DGDA), the Congolese Control Office (OCC) and mining authorities — in export operations and the management of approved bonded warehouses.
KCC’s initiative comes as mining companies seek to improve supply chain efficiency while copper and cobalt production continues to rise in Lualaba and Haut-Katanga provinces.
A tense fiscal environment
The project also comes amid tighter fiscal and regulatory scrutiny in the Congolese extractive sector. In 2024, the General Directorate of Administrative, Judicial, State and Participation Revenue (DGRAD) launched a dispute involving about $895 million sought from local Glencore subsidiaries.
More recently, Africa Intelligence reported that the General Directorate of Taxes (DGI) was seeking around $4.7 billion from KCC and Mutanda Mining (MUMI) through tax reassessments covering the 2022 and 2023 fiscal years. According to the publication, the DGI is seeking about $3 billion from KCC and $1.7 billion from MUMI.
Glencore has challenged the claims, describing them as “completely without foundation,” while the Congolese tax authority maintains that some subsidiaries of the group understated their taxable earnings.
In this context, the establishment of a one-stop shop and a customs office directly at KCC’s site may also be viewed as an effort to strengthen operational oversight and compliance in an environment of increasing regulatory controls.
Boaz Kabeya
A resurgence of the Ebola virus in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo is raising concerns beyond the health sector, as African health officials warn that new travel restrictions could disrupt trade and fragile regional economies.
As Congolese authorities work to contain the outbreak identified in Ituri province, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), the African Union’s public health agency, has cautioned against broad border and travel measures that could hamper commerce and humanitarian operations across East and Central Africa.
The warning came after the United States raised its travel advisory for the DRC to Level 4, advising against travel to the country and imposing entry restrictions on people who have recently been in the DRC, Uganda or South Sudan.
Washington said the measures were intended to reduce the risk of international spread of the Ebola Bundibugyo strain and announced an initial $13 million in aid to support response operations.
Africa CDC, however, warned that blanket travel restrictions and border closures could have disproportionate economic consequences. In a statement issued on May 19, 2026, the agency said such measures risk disrupting trade flows, complicating humanitarian and health operations, and pushing people toward informal border crossings that are harder to monitor.
“Blanket travel and trade restrictions are not the solution to outbreaks,” the agency said, calling instead for stronger regional coordination and investment in local health systems.
Exposed trade corridors
The outbreak is centered in the health zones of Mongwalu, Bunia, Rwampara and Nyankunde, in a region closely tied to East Africa’s mining and trade networks. Cases have also been reported in Butembo and Goma, two cities that serve as key hubs for regional commerce.
The situation has heightened fears of disruption along several economic corridors linking the DRC to Uganda, Rwanda and South Sudan. In that part of Africa, cross-border movements of traders, transport operators, workers and humanitarian personnel are vital to supplying local markets and sustaining border economies.
Africa CDC warned that disorderly border closures could further weaken a region already strained by armed conflict, population displacement and heavy dependence on informal economic activity.
Instead, the agency called for an intensified response focused on epidemiological surveillance, contact tracing, laboratory capacity, cross-border coordination and logistical support for health teams.
A familiar crisis
The Congolese government says it has the experience needed to contain the outbreak. Health Minister Samuel Roger Kamba noted that the DRC is confronting its 17th Ebola epidemic and that Congolese teams have already taken part in response operations in several African countries.
Congolese health authorities also said the Bundibugyo strain, previously recorded in the DRC in 2012, is generally considered less lethal than the Ebola Zaire strain. They nonetheless reported more than 500 suspected cases and over 130 deaths, figures that are still being verified.
Beyond the immediate crisis, Africa CDC highlighted what it described as a longstanding weakness in global health research. Nearly two decades after the Bundibugyo strain was first identified, no widely available licensed vaccine or specific treatment exists.
The agency said the gap reflects persistent inequalities in global investment in diseases that primarily affect African countries.
For the DRC, the challenge now is to prevent a localized health emergency from turning into a broader regional economic shock in an area where cross-border trade remains critical to commercial activity and the supply of goods to local populations.
Boaz Kabeya
Qatari conglomerate Power International Holding (PIH) is eyeing a 400-kilometer highway project in the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to comments by Boyd Merrett, chief executive of group subsidiary UCC Holding, in an interview with Bloomberg.
The proposed infrastructure project would aim to improve regional connectivity and ease trade bottlenecks. No details have yet been disclosed regarding the planned route, corridor, timeline or investment value of the project.
Kinshasa seeks private capital for infrastructure
PIH’s interest comes as the Congolese government steps up efforts to attract private investment into large-scale transport infrastructure.
Authorities are currently advancing a roughly 450-kilometer highway project linking Banana, Matadi and Kinshasa, aimed at strengthening the country’s access to the Atlantic coast and improving logistics flows between the capital and the future deep-water port of Banana.
In May 2025, the government signed a memorandum of understanding with Chinese company Zhongshi Wozen Technology Co to carry out feasibility studies for the corridor.
At this stage, however, there is no indication that the project referenced by PIH is directly linked to the Banana-Kinshasa highway. The only confirmed information is that the Qatari group is exploring a 400-kilometer road project in the DRC.
A Qatari group expanding across Africa
Power International Holding is a diversified conglomerate with activities spanning energy, construction, concessions, services, agriculture and agri-food, real estate, hospitality and leisure.
The group has already built a presence across several African markets, including Rwanda, Libya and Algeria, as part of a broader continental expansion strategy.
PIH is also involved in the planned airport project near Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, which Bloomberg estimates could require up to $12.5 billion in investment.
Ronsard Luabeya
Telecom companies operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo have called on authorities to support long-term improvements to network infrastructure, arguing that persistent service disruptions stem not only from internal shortcomings but also from broader structural challenges.
In a joint statement relayed last week by the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Digital Affairs, the operators said they were ready to work with the government on short-, medium- and long-term solutions that are expected to be presented soon.
The companies said the deterioration in service quality cannot be attributed solely to problems within their own networks. They pointed to several external constraints that continue to affect sector performance despite ongoing investment efforts.
Among the challenges cited were unstable electricity supply, repeated fiber-optic cable cuts, destruction of infrastructure, insecurity along several road corridors, limited spectrum availability and underdeveloped infrastructure. According to the operators, these constraints are complicating technical teams’ access to telecom sites and hindering network maintenance operations.
The statement comes as Congolese authorities intensify pressure on telecom companies over service quality. During a cabinet meeting in January, President Felix Tshisekedi ordered that sanctions against operators failing to meet obligations related to quality of service, continuity, coverage and consumer protection be enforced “firmly and without leniency.”
The president also called for stronger regulation, tighter oversight and permanent network monitoring mechanisms amid persistent consumer complaints over dropped calls, slow mobile internet connections and unstable services.
High Energy Costs
The concerns raised by operators echo findings published by the GSMA, the global mobile industry association. In a report released in September 2025 on the DRC’s digital economy, the organization said the country’s telecom infrastructure remains heavily dependent on diesel-powered generators.
According to the GSMA, a large proportion of telecom sites are not connected to the national electricity grid, a situation expected to worsen as network coverage expands into rural and remote areas. The organization estimates that operators already spend between 40% and 60% of their operating costs on purchasing and transporting diesel to power antennas and technical equipment.
These expenses weigh heavily on operators’ finances, undermine service continuity and may ultimately be passed on to consumers.
The GSMA also described the Congolese telecom market as particularly costly to operate in, citing tax pressure, regulatory and administrative hurdles affecting infrastructure deployment, as well as high maintenance and energy costs.
For now, authorities are holding telecom operators chiefly responsible for service quality. The 2020 law on telecommunications and information and communication technologies provides for financial penalties in cases where operators fail to comply with obligations set out in their licenses and technical specifications.
The law states that “any violation of one or more clauses of the license, the authorization or the technical specifications attached thereto that does not result in the suspension or withdrawal of the license shall be punishable by a fine not exceeding one quarter of the price of the license.”
With the measures announced by operators still pending, the dispute is increasingly centered on accountability. Authorities are demanding immediate improvements in service quality, while telecom companies argue that sustainable network upgrades will also require greater public investment in electricity supply, security and national infrastructure.
Pierre Mukoko
U.S. company MyHydro says it is close to securing financing for the Kabeya-Kamwanga hydropower project on the Lubi River in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Kasai-Oriental province.
The announcement followed a May 14 meeting between a company delegation and provincial Governor Jean-Paul Mbwebwa Kapo. According to the provincial government, cited by the Agence congolaise de presse (ACP), the delegation was led by MyHydro partner Singoma Mwanza and included the deputy director general of China Hydropower Construction Group (HCC), which is expected to build the project’s infrastructure.
Speaking after the meeting, Mwanza said the project was nearing financial close, clearing the way for construction to start in the coming months. A groundbreaking ceremony could take place as early as next quarter, he added, pending final administrative approvals.
No investment amount has yet been disclosed. The project is currently described as having a planned capacity of around 5 megawatts, aimed at improving electricity supply in Mbuji-Mayi and several other localities in Kasai-Oriental.
Revised capacity, delayed rollout
When the project was first announced in 2023, MyHydro said the plant would have a capacity of 4.48 MW and be developed in two phases: an initial 1.2 MW unit expected before the end of September 2024, followed by a second 3.6 MW phase scheduled for March 2025. Those targets were missed.
MyHydro is a joint venture between Symbion Power and Natel Energy focused on low-head hydropower systems. In 2023, the company signed a contract to acquire four turbines from Natel Energy for the first of 33 sites it has identified in the DRC, on the Lubi River.
Through the Kabeya-Kamwanga project, the company aims to promote a model of mini-hydropower plants designed to supply communities with limited access to the national grid. MyHydro has said it plans to deploy at least 150 similar installations across Africa and invest more than $1 billion over the next decade in small-scale hydropower projects.
Ronsard Luabeya
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The Democratic Republic of Congo is looking to import electricity from neighbouring Angola as it waits for progress on the long-delayed Inga 3 hydropower project. On May 14, 2026, Congolese Water Resources and Electricity Minister Aimé Sakombi Molendo travelled to Luanda for talks with Angolan President João Lourenço on a proposed electricity interconnection between the two countries.
According to Angola’s state news agency ANGOP, Kinshasa and Luanda are considering the construction of two high-voltage transmission lines. The first would run from Malanje in Angola to Fungurume in Lualaba province, at the centre of the DRC’s copper belt. The second would connect Soyo, in Angola’s Zaire province, to the Inga site in western Congo, with capacity to supply up to 2,000 megawatts to Congolese consumers.
The project, estimated to cost several hundred million dollars, will require extensive technical and feasibility studies before construction can begin. Sakombi Molendo said that once the report is submitted to President Félix Tshisekedi, authorities intend to fast-track the studies, with the aim of completing the Soyo-Inga line and launching the Malanje-Dilolo-Fungurume corridor within 18 months.
A Chronic Power Shortage
The DRC’s interest in Angolan electricity reflects a long-standing domestic power deficit. Despite possessing one of Africa’s largest hydroelectric potential reserves, the country continues to struggle to meet demand, particularly in its mining regions.
The south-east, which produces most of the country’s copper and cobalt, is facing rapidly rising electricity demand as mining activity expands. According to figures from the Congolese Ministry of Mines, the electricity shortfall for mining operators alone exceeds 1,500 MW.
The proposed imports from Angola are therefore being presented as a temporary solution while authorities continue efforts to advance the governance framework for the planned Inga 3 dam project, which remains years away from completion. In the meantime, imported electricity could provide faster relief for households, businesses and mining operations, the minister said.
Expanding Regional Energy Projects
The latest initiative adds to a growing list of projects already announced along the Angola-DRC energy corridor.
In July 2024, commodity trader Trafigura and ProMarks signed a memorandum of understanding with the Angolan government to study the technical and economic viability of a regional electricity transmission project under a public-private partnership model.
Moroccan construction group Somagec has also been associated with plans for a high-voltage line linking Angola and the DRC, in a project estimated at around $1.3 billion.
In October 2025, U.S. company Hydro-Link finalised preliminary agreements for a 1,150-kilometre transmission line aimed at supplying 1.2 gigawatts of Angolan electricity to mining areas in south-eastern Congo. The project is estimated to cost about $1.5 billion.
Regional Ambitions
Beyond bilateral cooperation, the projects reflect wider strategic ambitions on both sides of the border.
For the DRC, the priority is securing reliable electricity supplies for its mining sector and reducing a major constraint on local mineral processing and industrial development. For Angola, the projects offer a chance to monetise surplus hydropower production and strengthen its position as a regional energy exporter.
According to the African Development Bank, Angola’s exportable clean hydropower capacity could reach 3.5 GW by 2027.
Questions remain over how the various projects would be coordinated, including their financing structures, implementation schedules, and the respective roles of Congo’s state utility SNEL, Angolan authorities and private-sector partners.
For now, however, the Luanda discussions confirm a broader trend: long before Inga 3 becomes operational, the DRC is already looking beyond its borders to address its immediate electricity needs.
Pierre Mukoko
The Democratic Republic of Congo has revoked mining permits covering more than 12,000 square kilometers that were held by two companies, as part of an ongoing effort to clean up the country's mining registry.
According to a statement from the Mining Cadastre, known by its French acronym CAMI, relayed on May 14, 2026, by Agence congolaise de presse, the permits held by Acacia and Kwango Mines were revoked for failure to pay annual surface fees, in accordance with the Mining Code and related regulations.
The two companies jointly held 90 mining titles covering 15,029 permit blocks across the provinces of Kwango, Kwilu, Mai-Ndombe, Kongo Central and Kasai. The total area affected reaches 12,767.5 square kilometers, larger than Kinshasa.
In detail, Kwango Mines held 47 titles covering 5,282.5 sq km, while Acacia held 43 titles spanning 7,485 sq km. The permits cover minerals including gold, diamonds and bauxite.
Together, the concessions form a broad mining corridor stretching from Kongo Central to Kasai, crossing several territories in Kwango province, including Kahemba, Popokabaka and Kasongo-Lunda.
The move is part of a broader campaign launched in 2023 by CAMI to recover inactive or non-compliant mining permits. The mining administration said it has reclaimed more than 50,000 sq km of mining areas over the past three years through reviews of permit validity, compliance with payment obligations and respect for development deadlines.
The stated objective is to recover permits held by operators deemed inactive or non-compliant and make them available for new mining investment.
Before revoking the permits, CAMI had already launched a warning procedure against the companies concerned. In a statement published on April 16, 2026, the institution said several annual surface fee payments for the 2026 fiscal year had not been recorded by its financial services as of April 10.
CAMI then granted the affected permit holders 45 days to provide proof of payment or face cancellation of their licenses. Kwango Mines was explicitly named among the companies concerned at the time.
The case also carries political sensitivity. Acacia and Kwango Mines have previously been cited in several investigations as companies linked to the family of former President Joseph Kabila.
In 2017, the Congo Research Group published an investigation into the business interests attributed to the Kabila family, citing links between certain mining companies and Jaynet Kabila, the former president's twin sister. Subsequent reporting by Deutsche Welle and other international media also associated Acacia and Kwango Mines with that network of economic interests.
At this stage, however, the documents reviewed do not clearly establish the current ownership structure of either company.
Boaz Kabeya
Zambia has authorized a limited resumption of sulfuric acid exports to the Democratic Republic of Congo, offering partial relief to Congolese copper and cobalt producers facing shortages of the critical processing input for several months.
Zambian Trade Minister Chipoka Mulenga told Reuters that Chambishi Copper Smelter and Mopani Copper Mines have been allowed to resume some deliveries to Congo after rebuilding stocks allocated to the domestic market.
Lusaka remains cautious, however. Zambia will cap export volumes to avoid renewed pressure on local supply. The government could broaden its authorizations if market conditions continue to improve.
Sulfuric acid is essential for processing oxidized copper and cobalt ores, particularly in Congo's Copperbelt. Zambia suspended exports in September 2025 before introducing export controls from March onward, worsening supply difficulties for several mining companies in Congo, the world's largest cobalt producer and second-largest copper producer.
DR Congo consumes roughly 2 million metric tons of sulfuric acid per year, some of which is supplied through imports from Zambia, which itself produces close to 2 million metric tons annually. According to Reuters, Zambia's restrictions had already forced some Congolese producers to reduce sulfuric acid consumption and consider output adjustments. Mopani is expected to supply Glencore, while Chambishi Copper Smelter would export to three Chinese mining companies operating in DR Congo.
Kamoa turns the shortage into a revenue source
The regional supply crunch is not affecting all miners equally. At Ivanhoe Mines, sulfuric acid shortages have instead become a strategic commercial advantage for the Kamoa-Kakula complex.
According to Ivanhoe Mines' quarterly report published on May 6, the Kamoa-Kakula smelter produced 117,871 metric tons of high-concentration sulfuric acid in the first quarter of 2026, of which 107,700 metric tons were sold to six customers at an average price of $467 per metric ton.
The company said a new delivery contract for June was signed at $725 per metric ton, while other contracts are due for renegotiation.
The surge in sulfuric acid prices is directly improving Kamoa-Kakula's margins. Revenue from acid sales already covers the smelter's operating costs. In the first quarter, those revenues represented approximately $705 per metric ton of copper produced, compared with estimated smelter operating costs of around $595 per metric ton.
Ivanhoe Mines co-chair Robert Friedland now describes sulfuric acid production as a strategic advantage for the project. He said Kamoa-Kakula could generate close to $1 million per day in operating credits from sulfuric acid sales, helping offset rising diesel and logistics costs.
That is positive news for shareholders in Kamoa Copper, the joint venture that operates the mine.
Zambia's easing therefore does not fully resolve the problem. While it may reduce pressure on some Congolese miners in the short term, it also highlights the sector's dependence on regional suppliers for strategic industrial inputs.
Against that backdrop, Kamoa-Kakula stands out because of its vertically integrated operations. Its smelter not only reduces the logistics costs associated with exporting concentrates, but also produces locally a key input that has become scarce and expensive across the Copperbelt.
Pierre Mukoko & Ronsard Luabeya
Ruashi Mining is facing fresh accusations over environmental and health impacts in several neighborhoods of Kolwezi, in the Democratic Republic of Congo's Lualaba province. The allegations were made public in Kinshasa on May 14, 2026, by the NGO Initiative Bonne Gouvernance et Droits Humains (IBGDH), which is calling for the suspension of the company's operations until protective measures for surrounding communities are put in place.
According to Donatien Kambola, the IBGDH's coordinator, residents living near the mining site have reported respiratory problems, persistent coughing, nosebleeds and skin irritations. The organization also cited strong odors and the rapid deterioration of rooftops in certain neighborhoods.
The IBGDH had already raised concerns about health conditions around the Ruashi Mining site in February 2026. In a publication focused on the Dilungu neighborhood, it reported nosebleeds among children and breathing difficulties attributed to dust and emissions from mining activities.
No independent official assessment has yet been made public to establish a direct link between the reported health problems and the company's operations. The case nonetheless raises fresh questions about the proximity of mining operations to residential areas in the Katanga copper-cobalt basin.
Establish no-go zones
In March 2026, the government announced the deployment of an inspection mission to a site operated by Tenke Fungurume Mining (TFM), a subsidiary of Chinese group CMOC, following pollution accusations relayed by civil society organizations. The findings have not been made public.
A few weeks earlier, Congo Dongfang Mining (CDM), a company active in mineral processing, was sanctioned with $12.6 million in fines and reparations for pollution-related violations in Lubumbashi.
These cases differ in nature and in how far they have progressed. But they reflect growing pressure over the environmental and social impacts of mining in Lualaba and Haut-Katanga provinces, at a time when the DRC is consolidating its central role in global copper and cobalt supply chains.
Through its recommendations, the IBGDH is urging authorities to strengthen oversight mechanisms for mining activities, conduct regular epidemiological studies in Kolwezi and establish no-go zones for mining operations near residential areas. The organization is also calling for the involvement of public authorities, financial institutions, international buyers and the company's shareholders in developing long-term solutions for affected communities.
Based in Kolwezi, Ruashi Mining specializes in copper and cobalt production. The company is controlled by Metorex, a subsidiary of Chinese group Jinchuan. According to 2025 mining statistics, the company exported more than 14,625 metric tons of copper cathodes during the year, highlighting its contribution to Lualaba's mining sector.
Boaz Kabeya