News (482)
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Chinese company Longjing Environmental Protection invests $399 million in a 140 MW hydroelectric plant in DRC's Haut-Lomami province
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Zijin Mining applies for a concession to develop the 108 MW Mpiana-Mwanga hydroelectric station to power the world-class Manono lithium project
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Combined projects will supply mining operations while providing electricity to local communities across multiple provinces
According to several trading platforms, Chinese environmental technology company Longjing Environmental Protection will invest $399 million in a 140 MW hydroelectric power plant in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The move highlights Beijing's deepening energy infrastructure push across mineral-rich Central Africa.
The project in Haut-Lomami province represents the latest phase of Chinese industrial expansion in the DRC, where parent company Zijin Mining operates extensive mining concessions and is positioning itself to tap one of the world's largest lithium deposits.
Lualaba River Project Powers Mining Expansion
Longjing's subsidiary Zijin Longjing secured 80% control of the hydroelectric project through its Hong Kong arm, which acquired rights-holding company GML. Located on the Lualaba River, approximately 200 kilometers from Kolwezi—home to several Zijin Mining concessions—the facility will generate an estimated 714 million kilowatt-hours annually.
Construction is scheduled to take three and a half years, with 90% of electricity earmarked for Zijin's mining sites and 10% allocated to local communities. The project aligns with Longjing's strategy of combining environmental protection with renewable energy development while supporting broader group expansion.
Lithium Ambitions Drive Second Major Project
Simultaneously, Zijin Mining has applied for concession rights to develop the 108 MW Mpiana-Mwanga hydroelectric station on the Luvua River in Tanganyika province. This facility, located over 90 kilometers northeast of Manono, will primarily power the massive Manono lithium project—considered among the world's largest high-grade lithium deposits.
The application, submitted through the Katamba Mining joint venture with Congolese state company Cominière, signals Zijin's commitment to securing reliable power for lithium extraction operations critical to global battery supply chains.
Vice President James Wang indicated the Mpiana-Mwanga station will also serve local communities, including Manono town and territory, Kanuka village, Malemba Nkulu territory, and Manono airfield—demonstrating efforts to balance industrial needs with community development.
Strategic Energy Infrastructure Play
The dual hydroelectric investments reflect a broader Chinese strategy in the DRC: securing energy infrastructure to support mineral extraction while positioning for long-term industrial presence. Zijin Mining's 29.25% stake in Longjing's parent company, Fujian Longking, underscores the integrated approach linking mining operations with power generation.
For the DRC, these projects promise much needed electricity infrastructure while raising questions about resource control and community benefits as Chinese industrial presence expands across the country's mineral-rich provinces.
Timothée Manoke
KEY HIGHLIGHTS:
• 12-year dormancy ends as $7.5M Chinese-funded polystyrene panel factory in Kisangani prepares restart with new equipment
• Four-factory network planned nationwide to tackle housing crisis and build schools, health centers, security facilities
• Localization drive targets import reduction through domestic prefabricated materials industry for social infrastructure
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is preparing to restart domestic production of polystyrene panels for prefabricated housing after a 12-year dormancy. Infrastructure Minister John Banza Lunda recently announced this while visiting a prefabricated panels factory in Kisangani.
The $7.5 million factory, installed in 2013 through the Sino-Congolese Sicomines program and managed by the Congolese Agency for Major Works (ACGT), has been inactive since its construction. However, plant manager Patrick Muyeye confirmed that containers of additional equipment to boost production capacity have arrived in Kinshasa and await shipment to Kisangani for the facility's effective startup.
Already, 16 Congolese technicians have been trained to operate the plant as part of preparations for the relaunch. According to the Infrastructure Ministry, the Kisangani facility represents just the beginning of a broader national strategy—four similar factories will be established across the country to address the housing shortage while supporting construction of schools, health centers, and training facilities for police and military forces.
The initiative reflects the DRC's push to reduce import dependence and develop a domestic prefabricated materials industry serving both social and security sectors. Plans are also underway to establish a manufacturing plant for inputs currently imported, further localizing the production chain.
Timothée Manoke
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Dangerous quality defects in UAE cement show 0.5 MPa strength versus 10 MPa requirement, risking infrastructure collapse
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International standards failed across chemical composition, grain size, and mechanical strength benchmarks
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Import oversight gap highlighted amid Congo's 260,000-tonne cement shortage requiring authorized foreign supplies
Laboratory analyses have revealed serious quality defects in cement imported from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and sold in the port city of Matadi, raising urgent safety concerns about potential infrastructure risks, according to a construction industry publication.
The Expobéton Newsletter, a specialized platform founded by PPC Barnet DRC cement manufacturer Jean Bamanisa, reported September 7 that the imported cement fails to meet critical international standards, including European norms EN 197-1 for chemical composition and EN 196-1 for mechanical strength requirements.
The analysis results paint a troubling picture: grain size exceeds acceptable thresholds, leading to poor material hydration, while compressive strength after two days measured just 0.5 MPa—far below the required 10 MPa standard for type 32.5 R cement. Chemical composition tests revealed excessive magnesium content and a calcium oxide/silicon dioxide ratio below the benchmark value of 2, compromising the cement's stability and reactivity.
According to Expobéton, using such substandard material exposes infrastructure to severe risks, including early cracking and potential structural collapse, endangering lives and causing significant financial losses. The publication has called for immediate intervention by the Congolese Control Office (OCC) to verify and regulate the cement's marketing.
The quality concerns emerge against a backdrop of Congo's cement supply challenges. Central Bank data shows national production reached 2.298 million tonnes in 2023, falling short of estimated consumption at 2.559 million tonnes—a deficit exceeding 260,000 tonnes that requires authorized imports to fill the gap.
While Congo maintains strict import regulations to support domestic cement production, exemptions are granted to address shortfalls, creating potential oversight gaps in quality control systems.
The incident highlights broader challenges facing Congo's construction sector as it balances supply needs with quality assurance in a market heavily dependent on both local production and strategic imports.
Timothée Manoke
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Worker crisis escalates with delayed salaries, reduced benefits, as months-long Chemaf sale uncertainty affects production
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Bidding competition between an American consortium and a blocked Chinese deal over debt-laden mining assets worth $900M
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Union pressure mounts for government intervention, written job guarantees, and a dialogue framework amid financial collapse
In the Democratic Congo Republic (DRC), Workers at financially troubled mining company Chemaf Resources are urging Congolese authorities to accelerate a stalled sale process, warning that mounting uncertainty threatens jobs and social stability across the company's operations.
In a memorandum to the Ministry of Employment obtained by the Congolese Press Agency, the Chemaf union delegation highlighted deteriorating conditions as the sale drags on: delayed salary payments, reduced social benefits, and plummeting production levels at facilities including the flagship Mutoshi mine in Kolwezi.
Employee representatives, who say they have been kept in the dark for months about sale negotiations, expressed fears that aging equipment and declining activity could worsen their plight. The union is demanding direct government intervention to remove administrative obstacles, written guarantees for job protection and social rights, and the establishment of permanent dialogue between authorities, management, and workers.
The company's financial crisis has attracted international attention, with Bloomberg reporting that an American consortium including former Special Forces members is currently negotiating to acquire Chemaf's assets. The group comprises Orion Resource Partners and Virtus Minerals, backed by Trafigura, Chemaf's primary creditor.
The potential deal follows a collapsed agreement from June 2024, when Chemaf had arranged to sell its assets—including a major cobalt development project on a Gécamines permit—to Chinese group Norin Mining. However, the state-owned mining company blocked that transaction with a counteroffer, leaving workers in limbo.
Under the proposed American deal, Orion would provide financing while Virtus assumes operational management of a company struggling with debts estimated at nearly $900 million.
The standoff illustrates broader challenges facing Congo's mining sector, where geopolitical competition over critical minerals intersects with urgent needs for economic stability and worker protection.
Ronsard Luabeya
Kinshasa-Matadi line will restart next week with multiple weekly trains, part of broader transportation revival
Key Highlights:
• Kinshasa–Matadi rail service resumes after a five-year halt, improving goods transport and reducing congestion on National Route n°1.
• Urban commuter links upgraded, with new self-propelled coaches and expansions on the Gare Centrale–N’Djili Airport and Kinshasa–Kasangulu lines.
• Future expansion planned, including a Banana–Boma–Matadi–Kinshasa corridor, while the Arise IIP modernization project remains on hold.
The Democratic Republic of Congo will restore rail service between its capital Kinshasa and the strategic port city of Matadi next week, ending a five-year suspension that forced millions of tons of cargo onto congested roads.
Transport Minister Jean-Pierre Bemba announced the resumption on September 5 at a ceremony led by President Félix Tshisekedi, marking a significant step in the government's efforts to revitalize the country's rail network.
The restored service promises to ease a major logistical bottleneck. Matadi's port handles four million tons of goods annually, and the lack of rail transport has forced virtually all cargo onto National Route No. 1, creating severe congestion along the critical Kinshasa–Central Kongo corridor. Officials expect the rail line to significantly improve cargo flow while reducing road traffic.
The revival extends beyond freight. Urban passenger services will also restart, including a new line connecting Gare Centrale to N'Djili International Airport, currently under construction. Once complete, the airport link will cut travel time to under 30 minutes, offering relief to the capital's chronic traffic problems. The government also plans to relaunch the Gare Centrale–Kitambo Magasin route, while the Kinshasa–Kasangulu connection already operates with two daily trains to meet growing commuter demand.
Infrastructure improvements support the expansion. The state railway operator ONATRA acquired seven new self-propelled passenger coaches in 2023, including four modern units, two intermediate cars, and an air-conditioned VIP carriage. These join an existing fleet of five locomotives, 77 freight wagons, 27 passenger cars, and 42 container wagons. Additional equipment—five locomotives and 40 container wagons—will arrive soon, financed through the Redevance Logistique Terrestre, a fund created to support the revival of the national railway company SNCC.
The government has completed stabilization work on the Kinshasa–Matadi track, though officials have not disclosed the project's cost or financing details.
Looking ahead, authorities are studying a 150-kilometer extension that would connect the deep-water port of Banana to the existing network via Boma. This proposed Banana–Boma–Matadi–Kinshasa corridor would create an unbroken rail connection between the country's main ports, potentially transforming goods transport across the region.
The rail revival comes amid questions about a larger modernization plan. In February 2024, the Council of Ministers approved a $956 million public-private partnership with Indian conglomerate Arise to rehabilitate and operate the line through a joint venture 40% owned by ONATRA and 60% by Arise IIP. The three-phase project has shown no visible progress since the initial announcement, leaving the scope and timeline of broader improvements unclear.
Ronsard Luabeya
Highlights
• Congo’s RVF launches buoyage campaign on three rivers covering over 500 km (310 miles)
• The effort aims to improve navigation safety and boost transport reliability
• Officials stress the need for more resources to sustain operations
DR Congo’s river authority, Régie des voies fluviales (RVF), has begun a buoyage operation across more than 500 km (310 miles) of waterways, aiming to improve navigation and reduce accident risks.
The campaign, launched Sept. 1, covers 13 km (8 miles) on the Kwango, 329 km (204 miles) on the Kwilu up to Kikwit, and 187 km (116 miles) on the Kasaï between Kwamouth and Kandolo, RVF said. It also includes hydrographic and hydrological surveys to enhance traffic flow and support trade along these strategic corridors.
Transport ministry official Abolia Taba Mopolo, who inaugurated the operation, said river infrastructure is vital for mobility, multimodal transport, and economic development.
By February this year, RVF had already secured 1,734 km (1,077 miles) of the Congo River between Kinshasa and Kisangani, after earlier works on 605 km (376 miles) of the Kasaï. But the agency still faces financial and technical limits. At the launch, Kwilu provincial authorities urged greater resources to ensure permanent beaconing of the waterways.
Ronsard Luabeya
Highlights
• Congo’s General Strategic Reserve (RSG) sells corn flour at 35,000 CF per 25kg bag, below market price
• Operation covers four Kinshasa markets, with rollout planned for Kongo Central
• RSG says stock is “large” and could influence market prices
The General Strategic Reserve (RSG), a department of the Congolese presidency, has begun selling corn flour in Kinshasa at 35,000 Congolese francs ($13.20) per 25 kg bag, undercutting current market prices of 40,000 to 63,000 francs.
The operation is taking place at the Gambela, Matete, Bayaka, and Kapela markets, the RSG said in a statement. It will soon extend to Kongo Central province at the same price.
The RSG, which also supports local producers, rolls out such interventions on a seasonal basis to counter price spikes or disruptions caused by crises and natural disasters.
Created by presidential decree, the RSG manages stocks of essential goods to prevent shortages, stabilize prices, and support food security. It said its flour reserves are “large, even unlimited”, and could influence market dynamics in the capital.
Timothée Manoke, intern
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Visa launches Visa Pay app in Kinshasa to boost digital payments and financial inclusion
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Service supports CF and USD transactions, with low-cost bank account options for unbanked users
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Five banks onboard, with more joining soon; DRC chosen as pilot market due to high cash usage
Visa has launched its Visa Pay mobile application in Kinshasa, aiming to expand access to digital financial services in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where cash remains the dominant payment method.
Launched on September 4, the app allows users to transfer money, pay merchants, make deposits and withdrawals, and shop online using virtual cards. Transactions can be made in both Congolese francs (CF) and U.S. dollars (USD).
Sophie Kafuti, General Manager of Visa DRC, said the initiative seeks to reduce costs, improve interoperability, and support financial inclusion. “Today in the DRC, there are several fragmented payment systems. With Visa Pay, payments become secure, fast, and reliable, accessible to students and seniors alike, whether banked or unbanked,” she said.
Accessible, low-cost tool
Designed to consume little mobile data and memory, Visa Pay also allows users without a bank account to open one at low cost with partner banks. “Thanks to agreements with Visa, people can access affordable banking services,” said François Jurd De Girancourt, Visa Vice President for Strategy in Central Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
The rollout begins with five banks — Access Banque, FBN, Sofibanque, Solidaire Banque, and UBA — with BGFIBank, Equity Bank, and TMB expected to join shortly. The app is also available via partner banks’ mobile platforms and can be downloaded from the App Store and Google Play.
Pilot Phase
Visa chose the DRC as a pilot market due to its high reliance on cash. The country’s financial ecosystem, combining banks and mobile operators, was seen as favorable for building an interoperable solution.
The launch follows Visa’s expansion in the DRC since 2022, including partnerships with Vodacom — which issued 150,000 Visa cards linked to M-Pesa — and a $1 million financial education program with the Financial Inclusion Fund (FPM).
Ronsard Luabeya
- DR Congo restructures Afridex, adding two deputy general manager roles.
- Marcel Mbuyu returns as DGA for technical operations; Serge Bokana named DGA for administration.
- Changes come as Likasi arms complex nears completion with Chinese and Turkish partners.
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has restructured Afridex, the state-owned explosives company, creating two deputy general manager posts to oversee technical and administrative functions, according to presidential orders read on national television on Wednesday, September 3.
Marcel Mbuyu Kyungu was appointed Deputy General Manager (DGA) in charge of technical and operational matters, marking his return to Afridex eight months after leaving the company. Serge Bokana, previously the sole deputy, will now serve as DGA for administration and finance. Sikabwe Asinda remains Managing Director.
Afridex, which operates under the Ministry of National Defense, holds a monopoly on the production, import, storage, and distribution of explosives and ammunition across the DRC. Its mandate is to regulate flows and ensure traceability of these products from manufacturing to end use.
Strategic timing
Mbuyu’s comeback coincides with the scheduled completion of the Likasi industrial complex, a facility under construction since May 2024 with Chinese partner Norinco and Turkish arms manufacturer MKE. The project, set to come on stream in September 2025, is designed to strengthen Congo’s arms autonomy and reduce dependence on imports.
A mechanical engineer trained in Dortmund with further qualifications in engineering management from Pretoria and defense strategy in Kinshasa, Mbuyu previously served as Afridex’s deputy from 2018 to January 2025. Before that, he spent over eight years at Rheinmetall Denel Munition in South Africa, a subsidiary of Germany’s Rheinmetall AG, where he managed supply chains and plant operations.
Timothée Manoke, intern
Highlights
• DR Congo and Al Mansour Holding Seal 18 agreements totaling $21 billion.
• These investments are part of a $300 billion fund Doha has dedicated to Africa and Asia, handled via Al Mansour Holding.
On 2nd September 2025, Sheikh Al-Mansour Bin Jabor Bin Jassim Al Thani, leader of Al Mansour Holding and cousin of Qatar’s Emir, arrived in Kinshasa. This visit culminated in the signing of 18 agreements with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), totaling $21 billion according to the Prime Minister's office.
The signing ceremony was presided over by Deputy Prime Minster and Transportation Minister Jean-Pierre Bemba and attended by Public Health Minister Roger Kamba, Professional Training Minister Marc Ekila and other government members.
The agreements cover 15 sectors: fishing and livestock, agriculture, environment, public health, telecommunications, occupational training, national identity systems, logistics and transportation, water resources and electricity, finance and banking, cybersecurity, security and defense, urban development, mining and refining (copper, cobalt, gold), and hydrocarbons.
Although Sheikh Al-Mansour is acting as a private investor, these partnerships also involve the State of Qatar. As Jeune Afrique reported in August 2025, the $21 billion designated for DR Congo comes from a $300 billion fund that Doha has set aside for Africa and Asia, managed via Al Mansour Holding.
Key projects include the redevelopment of Kinshasa; the construction of Gateway City in Kasumbalesa; the creation of Congo Pharma, a medical equipment and drug manufacturing facility to reduce imports; the construction of 1.5 million affordable houses; the development of industrial units for the treatment and refining of minerals; and the modernisation of airports, including N'Dolo in Kinshasa.
In the oil and gas sector, there are plans to identify and assign strategic plots to Sonahydroc in the Albertine Graben and Central Basin, before a operational partnership with Amoc Oil and Gas, a subsidiary of Al Mansour Holding, is implemented. To secure these investments, preparatory documents also anticipate the deployment of private security companies in sensitive areas, approved by the Congolese Ministry of Defense.
According to Nidal Ammache, adviser to Sheikh Al-Mansour, these 18 memorandums are the result of a year of collaboration. Upon receiving the letter of intent, Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka praised a "win-win partnership" that demonstrates her government's openness to private investments, seen as a lever for economic diversification, job creation, and sustainable development.
Before Kinshasa, the Sheikh Al-Mansour and the Qatari delegation he led were in Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Botswana. In these countries, they also sealed deals totaling $51 billion.
The tour is set to continue in Tanzania, Gabon, Burundi, Central African Republic, and Angola, with a total portfolio exceeding $100 billion. With its $21 billion, DR Congo is one of the main recipients of these announced investments.
Timothée Manoke, stagiaire
More...
Highlights
• Kipushi zinc mine boosts concentrator capacity by 20% after upgrades.
• Record output in first week points to global top-5 ranking potential.
• Ivanhoe stays cautious, keeping 2025 forecast unchanged at 180,000–240,000 tonnes.
The Kipushi zinc mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), operated by Ivanhoe Mines (62%) and state miner Gécamines (38%), has lifted production following the completion of upgrades to its concentrator and density separator (DMS).
The debottlenecking work, designed to resolve operational setbacks encountered in 2024, increased concentrator capacity by 20%, the company said in a statement released on August 27, 2025.
Within a week of restarting operations, Kipushi delivered 5,545 tonnes of zinc in concentrate — a record output equivalent to an annualized rate of 290,000 tonnes. At that pace, the mine could rank as the world’s fourth-largest zinc producer, according to a June 2024 GlobalData survey published by Mining Technology.
Despite the strong start, Ivanhoe has kept its 2025 production forecast at 180,000–240,000 tonnes.
The upgrade follows a challenging 2024, when high iron content in ore from the top of the deposit reduced recovery rates and forced Ivanhoe to lower its forecast from 100,000–140,000 tonnes to 50,000–70,000 tonnes. Actual output was 50,307 tonnes.
To address the issue, Ivanhoe launched a concentrator and DMS upgrade program in September 2024. According to early results, 42,736 tonnes of concentrate were produced in Q1 2025. The company now states that the work has been completed ahead of schedule and under budget, although it had previously informed investors that it expected to spend $25 million this year at Kipushi.
On the sales side, Ivanhoe signed an offtake deal in July with Swiss trader Mercuria for one-third of Kipushi’s output not already committed to CITIC Metal (HK) and Trafigura Asia Trading. Mercuria will also provide a $20 million loan at 6% interest.
Timothée Manoke, intern
A partnership with Monaco-based satellite operator Monacosat will enable the Democratic Republic of Congo to acquire a satellite for an estimated $400 million, the presidency announced after a meeting between President Félix Tshisekedi and Monacosat representative Jean-Philippe Anvam on August 30.
The investment, which amounts to nearly a quarter of the country’s 2025 budget, will be financed by a loan. Anvam stated that "a bank has already mobilized the necessary funds," though he did not name the institution.
The previous day, however, Fidelity Bank CEO Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe met with Minister of Digital Economy Augustin Kibassa and confirmed her bank’s readiness to finance the project. She announced that a joint Fidelity Bank-ministry team would be formed to define the project's parameters.
The initiative follows a memorandum of understanding signed between the Congolese government and Monacosat in November 2024. The project aims to deploy a satellite to reduce the DRC's digital divide and facilitate high-speed internet access across the country, particularly in rural and remote areas with limited telecommunications infrastructure.
The satellite is also intended to enhance cybersecurity, support distance learning, improve telemedicine, and stimulate the growth of the digital economy.
It remains to be seen whether a final agreement has been reached, as its signing is an essential prerequisite for the project to become operational.
Boaz Kabeya
Katamba Mining has filed an application with the Electricity Sector Regulation Authority (ARE) for a production concession for the third phase of the Mpiana-Mwanga hydroelectric plant. The company, 70% owned by China's Zijin Mining and 30% by the DRC Mining company Cominière, aims for a planned capacity of 108 MW for the plant located in the Manono territory.
The move follows Katamba Mining's April launch of a tender to hire a subcontractor to build and operate a crushing plant. This facility is intended to produce the sand and gravel needed for the construction of Mpiana-Mwanga III, which is situated more than 90 kilometers northeast of Manono.
With the addition of the projected 108 MW from the third phase, the Mpiana-Mwanga complex would reach a total capacity of 148 MW. The rehabilitation of the first two phases, completed in 2024 at a cost of $80 million, had already boosted the plant’s capacity to 40 MW, a 30% increase from its original output. These upgrades restored installations that were 97 years old and had been out of service since 1998.
The primary goal of these investments is to power the Manono lithium mining project, considered one of the world's largest high-grade lithium deposits. However, Katamba's distribution concession application and statements from Zijin Mining Vice President James Wang confirm that the electricity generated will also supply local communities and key infrastructure. This includes the city and territory of Manono, the village of Kanuka (Tanganyika), the territory of Malemba Nkulu (Haut-Lomami), and the Manono airfield.
According to its 2024 annual report, Zijin Mining, which holds a mining permit for the northeastern zone of the Manono deposit, has identified approximately 2.62 million tonnes of lithium oxide at an average grade of 1.5% during preliminary exploration. This is equivalent to 6.47 million tonnes of lithium carbonate. The company plans to begin production in the first quarter of 2026.
Timothée Manoke (Intern)
Congolese fintech Maishapay has been selected as one of 12 startups for the fourth edition of Visa’s Africa Fintech Accelerator program. The cohort, running from October to December 2025, includes companies working in areas such as SME digitization, digital lending, cross-border payments, payroll management, B2B payments, AI-driven transactions, social commerce, climate insurance, and neobanking.
By joining the program, Maishapay will gain access to tailored mentorship, specialized training, networking opportunities, and direct links to investors. Since its launch, the accelerator has supported 64 fintechs from 17 African countries, with a combined portfolio value of $1.1 billion. The 12-week program is part of Visa’s $1 billion investment plan in Africa through 2027 to boost financial inclusion and strengthen the continent’s digital economy.
Founded in 2018 by Congolese IT entrepreneur Landry Ngoya, Maishapay is a blockchain-based digital wallet. It allows withdrawals, deposits, mobile payments, money transfers, and offers both checking and savings accounts. Available online and offline, it aims to provide banking alternatives for underserved and unbanked populations.
The platform now counts over 68,000 users, connects with 27 e-commerce sites, and is accepted by more than 14,000 merchants in retail, hospitality, and food services. Already active in the DRC, Congo-Brazzaville, Nigeria, Egypt, and Ethiopia, Maishapay focuses mainly on young entrepreneurs and women who are often excluded from traditional financial services.