News (907)
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) could secure $1.882 billion in tourism investments following the inaugural UAE-Africa Tourism Investment Summit held in Dubai from Oct. 25 to 29, 2025, Tourism Minister Didier Mazenga said during a Council of Ministers meeting on April 3, 2026.
According to the official report, a $6 billion portfolio of tourism projects across Africa was selected after the summit. Of that total, $1.882 billion, or 31%, is earmarked for the DRC. Authorities said four projects presented by the country drew interest from Emirati investors.
These include the development of a protected areas circuit in western DRC, covering the Kinshasa Zoological and Botanical Garden, the Mangrove Marine Park in Muanda, Kundelungu National Park, and the Bombo-Lumene Reserve. Other projects include the renovation of the N’sele tourist village, the development of the Muanda-Kinshasa-Kananga road corridor and the Kinshasa-Mbandaka-Kisangani river route, as well as the rehabilitation of the Kitona (Lippens) tourist site.
Details yet to be finalized
At this stage, the funding has not been secured. Mazenga said the process and timeline for accessing the funds will be clarified at a forthcoming summit in Nairobi. In the meantime, the Ministry of Tourism, working with the Ministry of Planning, is preparing technical requirements, including project briefs.
The minister also called for closer coordination with other relevant ministries, including Finance, Budget, Land Affairs, and Infrastructure and Public Works, to help the DRC attract these investments and turn them into tangible projects.
This development comes amid strengthening economic ties between Kinshasa and Abu Dhabi. In February 2026, the DRC and the United Arab Emirates signed a comprehensive economic partnership agreement, along with three memorandums of understanding. Authorities aim to double bilateral trade from $5 billion to $10 billion by 2030.
In recent months, the UAE has shown growing interest in sectors including infrastructure, mining, agriculture, health, energy and tourism. In January 2026, Lualaba province announced 16 agreements with Emirati investors.
For now, the Dubai summit has initiated an investment process that remains under development rather than confirmed funding. The challenge for the Congolese government will be to convert this interest into firm commitments and deliver projects on the ground.
Ronsard Luabeya
Virtus Minerals has finalized the acquisition of Chemical of Africa (Chemaf) for approximately $30 million. The deal was completed on March 27, according to a Wall Street Journal article published on March 31 and relayed on the U.S. company’s website.
The transaction includes a plan to mobilize nearly $720 million to develop the copper and cobalt producer’s projects. The framework includes an initial $200 million contribution from Virtus and its operating partner, India’s Lloyds Metals. A further $475 million is expected from New York-based investment fund Orion Resource Partners, along with about $75 million from other sources.
While these figures point to a substantial financing package, details remain unclear. Work is set to begin in April, with a target to finalize the financing by early next year. The Wall Street Journal reported that Orion declined to comment, and no information has been disclosed on the additional funding sources. It is also unclear whether these commitments are firm or conditional, or whether they involve debt, equity, or hybrid instruments.
Beyond the takeover, restarting Chemaf’s operations will require additional capital. Up to $300 million may be needed to complete expansion projects at the Mutoshi mine in Kolwezi and the Étoile mine in Lubumbashi. These sites are expected to produce around 75,000 tonnes of copper cathodes and 25,000 tonnes of cobalt hydroxide annually.
These funding needs come on top of existing liabilities, raising questions about the overall financing structure. Chemaf’s debt is estimated at nearly $1 billion, including obligations to local subcontractors and commodities trader Trafigura.
No clarity on subcontractor debt
In 2022, Trafigura arranged a $600 million syndicated loan to finance processing capacity expansion and the mechanization of the Mutoshi mine. Virtus said it had reached an agreement with the trader, without disclosing the terms.
By contrast, there is no clarity on the debt owed to local subcontractors, whose total remains unknown. The Wall Street Journal reported that Virtus declined to comment on any plans to settle this debt.
Asked about financing the restart of Chemaf’s operations, Virtus said in a March 13 press release that Congolese authorities had approved the deal after reviewing the transaction structure, the financial capacity of the consortium, and its plans for Chemaf’s activities.
Virtus also indicated that it intended to deliver on its commitments through investments, job creation, and operational results, according to the same release.
The U.S. government has identified the acquisition of Chemaf’s assets by Virtus and its Indian partner as one of three projects critical to implementing the strategic partnership on critical minerals signed with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on December 4, 2025. The deal forms part of a broader effort to secure supplies of critical minerals amid Chinese dominance. Copper and cobalt are essential for advanced military systems, the energy transition, and the production of batteries for electric vehicles and electronic devices.
However, in practice, the project’s success will depend on the consortium’s ability to secure the announced financing and stabilize operations at sites weakened by illegal mining activity.
Pierre Mukoko
The Democratic Republic of Congo has signed a cooperation agreement with Côte d’Ivoire to support its second General Population and Housing Census (RGPH-2). The deal was signed on April 1, 2026, by the two countries’ planning ministers during an official visit by Congolese Planning Minister Guylain Nyembo.
The agreement follows a donor roundtable held on March 23 in Kinshasa, where more than $200 million in funding was pledged for the census.
Ivorian support, already underway through technical exchanges, is now formalized under the agreement. It will focus on sharing expertise in census organization, as well as logistical, administrative and financial management. The partnership also includes training for Congolese teams. According to Bankable, it will also provide about 3,000 tablets for mapping activities.
The initiative is part of a broader mobilization of technical and financial partners for the RGPH-2. The World Bank is considering total financing of $100 million, including $75 million specifically for the census. The African Development Bank has announced a planned contribution of $80 million.
The United Nations system, notably through the United Nations Population Fund and UNICEF, has mobilized an initial $3 million package. It is also expected to provide technical assistance and financial oversight through a pooled funding mechanism. Congolese authorities have committed $30 million to fund initial operations.
The agreement with Côte d’Ivoire marks a new phase in preparations for the RGPH-2. Kinshasa aims to anchor the project in South-South cooperation while securing broader international support to strengthen the production of demographic data.
Boaz Kabeya
Two Chinese mining groups that account for a large share of copper and cobalt output in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are set to help finance the modernization of the TAZARA railway corridor. Backed by Beijing, the project is emerging as a competing export route to the Lobito Corridor, which the United States and the European Union are developing in parallel.
The TAZARA upgrade is valued at more than $1.4 billion, including about $1 billion for rail rehabilitation and $400 million for locomotives and rolling stock. Under the newly disclosed structure, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation will hold an 80% stake, while CMOC, a Zijin Mining-linked entity, Jiayou International Logistics and COSCO Shipping Holdings will each take 5%, subject to regulatory approval in China.
The participation of mining firms underscores efforts to secure export routes for African minerals as competition between regional corridors intensifies. By backing TAZARA, CMOC and Zijin are reinforcing China’s position along key mineral export routes in southern and central Africa, where major powers are competing for control over copper, cobalt and zinc supply chains.
Through its subsidiaries Tenke Fungurume Mining and Kisanfu, CMOC exported 747,468 metric tons of copper in 2025, according to official Congolese data, accounting for nearly 22% of national exports. Zijin Mining holds an indirect 39.6% stake in Kamoa-Kakula, alongside Ivanhoe Mines at 39.6%, the Congolese state at 20% and Crystal River at 0.8%. The Kamoa complex exported 400,185.59 metric tons of copper in 2025, or about 12% of total exports.
TAZARA as an alternative
Meanwhile, the United States and the European Union are stepping up support for the Lobito Corridor. The project aims to link mining areas in the DRC and Zambia to Angola’s Atlantic port of Lobito through upgraded rail and logistics infrastructure. It is intended to provide a faster, more competitive route for Copperbelt minerals.
According to a November 2025 presentation by Germany’s Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources, prepared with the Congolese Ministry of Mines, the 1,740-kilometre Lobito Corridor, including 450 km in the DRC and 1,290 km in Angola, is currently the fastest route among major export options. Transit times range from five to eight days, compared with 30 to 32 days to Dar es Salaam, 28 to 34 days to Beira, 29 days to Walvis Bay and 30 to 36 days to Durban.
That advantage could erode as TAZARA is upgraded. The 1,800-kilometre line is widely seen as a viable alternative. The same presentation noted that Lobito is being developed in a competitive regional environment, with several rail extensions and interconnections under consideration, including links with TAZARA.
Limited support for Lobito
For Washington, the project has strategic significance beyond logistics. A December 2025 agreement between the United States and the DRC identifies the Sakania-Lobito route as a key channel for exporting copper, cobalt, zinc and other critical minerals. It requires that, over the next five years, at least 50% of copper, 30% of cobalt and 90% of zinc sold by state-owned mining companies transit through the corridor’s Congolese section.
Despite these advantages, questions remain over the corridor’s long-term viability. The European Centre for Development Policy Management said its success will depend on attracting sufficient volumes beyond geopolitical backing, while the French Institute for International and Strategic Affairs pointed to risks linked to governance, regional coordination and limited commitment from some operators.
So far, Kamoa Copper, which operates the Kamoa-Kakula complex, is among the few major producers to formally commit to the route. A memorandum of understanding signed in February 2024 with Lobito Atlantic Railway covers part of its copper exports. The company shipped its first copper anodes via Lobito in the first quarter of 2026.
“Lobito is still ramping up. This year, we plan to ship between 50,000 and 70,000 metric tons through the corridor, depending on its progress and competitiveness against other routes,” said Olivier Binyingo, chairman of Kamoa Copper, in February.
Pierre Mukoko
Angola’s Infrasat plans to enter the telecommunications market in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the company said after its chairman, Diego de Carvalho, met Digital Economy Minister Augustin Kibassa Maliba in Kinshasa on April 2, 2026.
De Carvalho said Infrasat aims to begin technical operations this year, targeting infrastructure and connectivity services, particularly in underserved areas.
A subsidiary of Angola Telecom specializing in satellite services, Infrasat provides data transmission, high-speed internet and connectivity solutions for remote regions. Founded in 2008, the company relies mainly on satellite technology to expand network coverage in rural and landlocked areas — a largely underserved segment in the DRC.
During the meeting, the company also presented projects to support the country’s digital transformation. “We submitted proposals to support the country as it advances its digital transformation,” de Carvalho said, adding that Congolese authorities showed interest.
Infrasat will enter a competitive market. According to the DRC’s postal and telecommunications regulator (ARPTC), the country had 37 internet service providers in H2 2023, some of which hold multiple licenses. Of these, 33 offered fixed internet services via fiber optic or wireless technologies such as WiMAX and VSAT, while four operators dominated the mobile internet segment.
Underexploited market
According to ARPTC data, mobile internet generated $594 million by end-June 2025, accounting for 52.7% of total sector revenue. During the same period, the number of active users reached 34.5 million, with a penetration rate of 30.79%, while data usage rose 26.91% compared with the first quarter of 2025.
By revenue, Airtel led the market with 41.6%, ahead of Orange (29.5%), Vodacom (24.7%) and Africell (4.1%). By subscribers, Vodacom ranked first with 36.4% of the market, followed by Airtel (30.8%), Orange (29.8%) and Africell (3%).
GSMA projects the DRC will add 15 million new mobile internet subscribers between 2025 and 2030. Since May 2025, Starlink has also been authorized to operate in the country, increasing competition, particularly in satellite internet.
In this context, Infrasat’s move highlights the growing attractiveness of the Congolese market, driven by rising demand, expected network expansion and the increasing importance of connectivity in underserved areas.
Ronsard Luabeya
The Democratic Republic of Congo’s rural electrification agency has increased the planned capacity of a hydropower project near Kananga.
The Agence nationale de l’électrification et des services énergétiques en milieux rural et périurbain (ANSER) now says the Mbombo plant will have a capacity of 20.08 MW, up from 10 MW announced at its official launch in February 2025.
The revision was formalized on April 3, 2026, when ANSER Director General Cyprien Musimar and Angelique International Limited (AIL) Chairman Ajay Krishna Goyal signed a commercial contract.
The agreement marks a new phase for the project, located on the outskirts of Kananga on the Lulua River. When provincial authorities launched construction on Feb. 15, 2025, capacity was still set at 10 MW, with costs estimated at around $35 million. ANSER is acting as the delegated project owner.
According to ANSER, the revised design calls for a plant with four generating units of about 5.02 MW each. The project also includes worker housing, access roads, and transmission infrastructure to deliver electricity to Kananga.
ANSER said the contract paves the way for negotiations on a financing agreement between the Congolese government and a commercial bank. The deal is expected to cover 70% of costs related to equipment supply, construction, installation and commissioning.
The Mbombo project comes amid renewed energy activity in the province. Construction of the Katende hydropower project, in which Angelique International Limited is also involved, resumed in August 2025.
Boaz Kabeya
The Democratic Republic of Congo’s national rural and peri-urban electrification agency, ANSER, said on April 2, 2026 it had signed a contract with German firm Gauff Engineering to carry out an electrification project across 36 territories.
The agency said the agreement follows the finalisation of the project’s financing and the completion of required preliminary steps, including approval of the contract by relevant authorities.
In March 2025, ANSER and Gauff Engineering signed a 150 million euro ($172.8 million) commercial contract in Berlin to build photovoltaic solar plants and mini hydroelectric stations to improve access to electricity in rural and peri-urban areas. At the time, the agency said a financing agreement still needed to be concluded before the project could move forward.
In its latest statement, ANSER said the project’s financing had been approved by Commerzbank’s board, ahead of a financing agreement with the Congolese Ministry of Finance.
The project involves building 230 photovoltaic and mini hydroelectric plants over four years at a total cost of 150 million euros.
Boaz Kabeya
The United States has made the proposed transaction between Glencore and the Orion Critical Mineral Consortium a top priority in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
On March 19, 2026, Nick Checker, a senior official at the State Department’s Bureau of African Affairs, said completing the deal was one of three “foundational” projects for implementing the strategic partnership between Washington and Kinshasa.
On Feb. 3, 2026, Glencore said it had signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding with Orion Critical Mineral Consortium (Orion CMC) for the potential acquisition of a 40% stake in Mutanda Mining (MUMI) and Kamoto Copper Company (KCC), two major assets in Lualaba province. Glencore said both companies would remain operated by the group if the transaction is completed.
The two sites account for a significant share of Congo’s copper and cobalt output. According to Glencore, MUMI and KCC together produced about 247,800 metric tons of copper and 33,500 metric tons of contained cobalt in 2025.
Washington sees the deal as a way to strengthen the security of its critical mineral supply chains. The move is part of the strategic partnership signed on Dec. 4, 2025, between the United States and the DRC, focused on copper, cobalt and other minerals deemed essential for industry, batteries and defense.
Launched in October 2025, Orion CMC is led by Orion Resource Partners in partnership with the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC). The consortium has $1.8 billion in initial investment capacity, backed by Orion, the DFC and ADQ, Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth fund.
U.S. officials say completing the deal would both help secure supply chains and signal to private investors the appeal of Congo’s mining sector.
Ronsard Luabeya
The United States has identified the award of the concession for the Congolese segment of the Lobito corridor to Mota-Engil as a priority project under its strategic partnership with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), signed on Dec. 4, 2025.
Speaking at the Powering Africa Summit in Washington on March 19, 2026, Nick Checker, a senior official at the State Department’s Bureau of African Affairs, cited the award as one of three projects he described as “fundamental to the successful implementation of this partnership.”
The other two projects cited by Washington are the acquisition of Chemaf assets by a Virtus-led consortium, approved by the Congolese Ministry of Mines on March 13, 2026, and a proposed transaction between Orion Critical Mineral Consortium and Glencore involving mining assets in the DRC, still at the memorandum-of-understanding stage.
The agreement designates the Sakania-Lobito corridor as a strategic infrastructure project and a cornerstone of Congo’s industrial and commercial strategy. It sets specific transit targets: over the next five years, 50% of copper, 30% of cobalt and 90% of zinc produced or exported by state-owned companies must pass through the corridor.
Washington has openly stated its geoeconomic objectives. In the same address, Checker said the U.S. goal is to ensure African critical minerals “start flowing westward toward the United States,” citing the Lobito corridor as a model. He added that the projects would strengthen U.S. supply chains and signal to private investors that the DRC is open for business. “With the sustained commitment and leadership of President Tshisekedi, we are optimistic about the rapid completion of these initial projects,” he said.
Tender process
U.S. support for Mota-Engil is not new. On Dec. 5, 2025, the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) announced a letter of intent with the Portuguese group to support the rehabilitation, operation and transfer of the Dilolo-Sakania line in the DRC. According to the DFC, that support could reach $1 billion, subject to full project review.
Congolese authorities have maintained that the process remains open. At the first corridor coordination meeting, held in Luanda in February 2026, Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Jean-Pierre Bemba said the DRC was preparing an international tender for the rehabilitation of the Tenke-Kolwezi-Dilolo section, with a public-private partnership as the preferred model and construction expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026.
While the project is still being structured, state-owned SNCC remains active on the section, where emergency works are already underway. The work targets about 80 km of critical track sections to ensure traffic continuity. Authorities say $100 million has already been invested to rehabilitate 60–70 km of track.
Official projections indicate that the corridor will make the port of Lobito more competitive than Durban in South Africa, Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, Beira in Mozambique and Walvis Bay in Namibia for exports from southern DRC. Freight from mining hubs such as Tenke and Kolwezi would take between five and eight days to reach Lobito, compared with roughly 25 days to Durban. The transport minister said the reduction in transit times would cut logistics costs by up to 30%. In the first year of operation, exports of 1 million tonnes and imports of 500,000 tonnes are projected.
On the Angolan segment, Mota-Engil, Trafigura and Vecturis already operate via the Lobito Atlantic Railway (LAR) consortium, which holds a 30-year concession for the Lobito-Luau line. That section has been operational since 2023.
Ronsard Luabeya
The Democratic Republic of Congo is considering changes to domestic fuel prices as the war in the Middle East continues to disrupt global oil markets.
The move follows a meeting on Thursday, April 2, between Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka, Minister of State for Hydrocarbons Acacia Bandubola and National Economy Minister Daniel Mukoko Samba.
After the meeting, Mukoko Samba said the government was closely monitoring fuel supply conditions amid severe global disruption.
“We must take all necessary steps to ensure continued access to the petroleum products we need and maintain supply,” he said. “That may require adjusting fuel prices to align with global trends.”
He added that the government also aims to preserve domestic market stability. “Across the region, fuel prices are rising,” he said.
The statement comes as authorities try to balance supply security with protecting consumers. As early as March, the prime minister ordered temporary measures to cushion the impact of external shocks.
These include cuts to certain taxes, the suspension of some border levies and steps to ensure steady imports. The aim is to limit the impact of rising global prices at the pump while maintaining fuel deliveries to the domestic market.
Mining firms already paying market rates
Some adjustments have already been implemented. On March 17, 2026, the Fuel Price Monitoring Committee approved a new pricing structure in the southern zone for mining companies and their subcontractors, which do not benefit from subsidies.
In that zone, diesel prices rose from $1.70 to $2.43 per litre, an increase of nearly 43%, while gasoline prices increased from $1.60 to $2.08, up 30%.
These operators now buy fuel at market rates, as international benchmarks have surged. Brent crude has hovered around $100 per barrel since the start of the year, compared with $60 to $70 before the conflict.
Across the region, several countries are facing similar pressures. In Zambia, authorities declared a fuel supply emergency and temporarily suspended some import taxes on petroleum products to limit price increases.
In Kenya, another key supply route for eastern DRC, officials have reported low fuel stocks. Nairobi is considering using its stabilization fund to absorb expected price increases, though any intervention is likely to be temporary.
In South Africa, rising global prices and higher transport costs are also adding pressure to the fuel market, reflecting broader regional volatility.
Against this backdrop, Kinshasa appears to be taking a cautious approach to price adjustments to avoid supply disruptions without triggering a sharp shock to the domestic market.
For now, the government has not announced an immediate, across-the-board increase in pump prices. But the signal is clear: if international tensions persist, fuel price increases in the DRC are increasingly likely.
Timothée Manoke
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The Democratic Republic of Congo exported more than 28.2 metric tons of gold in 2025, little changed from 27.93 tons in 2024, according to data from the Cellule technique de coordination et de planification minière (CTCPM).
Flat export volumes contrasted with a sharp rise in revenue. The value of gold exports reached $2.84 billion in 2025, up from $1.53 billion in 2024, an increase of about 85.6%, driven by higher international gold prices.
The average annual gold price rose 44% to $110,280 per kilogram in 2025, according to the World Gold Council, which cited strong demand and a geopolitical and financial environment supportive of the metal.
Artisanal gold exports rose to 2,834.72 kilograms in 2025 from 1,755.82 kilograms in 2024, an increase of around 61.4%. This came despite the fall of Bukavu to M23 rebels, previously the country’s main artisanal gold export hub.
To compensate, the state-owned gold marketing company set up offices across the country in 2025, helping sustain export flows.
The Kibali Gold Mine, operated by Barrick Mining, also reflects the effect of higher prices. The industrial mine generated an estimated $2.3 billion in revenue in 2025, up 40% year on year, even as production fell 2% to about 673,000 ounces, below its annual target of at least 688,000 ounces.
Barrick attributed the shortfall to lower ore grades and reduced output from its richest underground zones. A fatal incident in the fourth quarter also led to a temporary suspension of some operations, weighing on year-end output.
There is a discrepancy of more than four metric tons between two sets of figures. The CTCPM reported Kibali’s 2025 output at more than 25 metric tons, while Barrick reported 673,333 ounces, or about 21 metric tons.
The CTCPM has acknowledged limits in its data collection. Its figures are based on company declarations and administrative reconciliations, while Barrick’s data are reported under international financial reporting standards, which may partly explain the gap.
Timothée Manoke
The Democratic Republic of Congo is targeting foreign exchange reserves equivalent to at least three months of import cover by 2027 under its program with the International Monetary Fund. A memorandum by the authorities, included in a report published in January 2026, says reaching this goal requires accumulating about $1.5 billion per year.
The World Bank said in a March 2026 report that reserves rose from $6.2 billion at end-2024 to $7.9 billion at end-2025, equivalent to just over 2.5 months of import cover. The IMF said reserves “continued to increase [...] but remain below the recommended adequacy level.”
This trend reflects a broader improvement in the country’s external position. The IMF said higher copper export volumes and favourable prices helped improve the current account in 2025, despite a temporary suspension of cobalt exports. The current account deficit narrowed to around 3.6% of GDP in 2025, from 4.2% in 2024.
The IMF expects this trend to continue. Reserves are forecast to reach about 12.8 weeks of import cover in 2026 and nearly 13 weeks in 2027, bringing them closer to the three-month threshold.
Middle East war
The outlook remains dependent on global conditions. The IMF warned that it is still exposed to commodity price volatility and external shocks. In an analysis published in March 2026, the Fund said tensions in the Middle East are starting to affect global markets, particularly through “rising energy prices and transportation costs.”
Since the start of the year, gas prices have nearly doubled to around $60, while Brent crude has traded at about $100 per barrel, compared with an average of $60 to $70 before the conflict.
These developments could weigh on net fuel-importing countries. For DR Congo, this is a significant vulnerability. The country relies entirely on imports for petroleum products. A sustained rise in oil prices could increase the import bill and slow reserve accumulation by offsetting gains from the improved current account.
Beyond their accounting role, foreign exchange reserves play a central role in DR Congo: they finance imports, help absorb external shocks and support the stability of the Congolese franc in an economy heavily dependent on mining exports.
Pierre Mukoko & Boaz Kabeya
The Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania and Burundi are advancing a proposed electrified standard-gauge railway linking Uvinza, Musongati, Gitega, Bujumbura, Uvira and Kindu.
On March 31, 2026, the three countries’ transport ministers met in Kinshasa to review progress on feasibility work for the corridor, which spans more than 800 km, according to the Congolese Ministry of Transport. The meeting was chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Jean-Pierre Bemba.
The project is being developed under the Central Corridor framework by the Central Corridor Transit Transport Facilitation Agency (CCTTFA), which has coordinated studies and the institutional framework of the regional rail corridor for several years. In March 2023, the agency announced the signing of a feasibility study and preliminary design contract for the Gitega-Bujumbura-Uvira-Kindu segment, awarded to a consortium of CPCS and Zutari on behalf of Burundi and the DRC.
The corridor is expected to reduce transport costs, facilitate the movement of people and goods, and better integrate landlocked countries in the Great Lakes region with the port of Dar es Salaam. It is also seen as supporting the energy transition, as electrified rail produces fewer greenhouse gas emissions than road transport.
Technical progress on the Burundi-DRC segment
On the Burundi-DRC segment, technical studies reached a milestone in November 2025 in Kindu, where six reports were presented to the steering committee. The documents covered traffic demand, railway operations, signalling, telecommunications and energy systems. The studies also defined a preliminary alignment for the Congolese section, running from Nyamoma through Sange, Luberizi, Nyangezi, Walungu, Mwenga, Kamituga, Kalole and Pangi before reaching Kindu. Extensions toward Uvira, Bukavu and Shabunda are also under consideration.
The final cost of the Congolese and Burundian segments has yet to be determined and will depend on ongoing studies. The Uvinza-Musongati section, on the Tanzanian and Burundian side, is further advanced, with several sources estimating costs at around $2.15 billion and pointing to expected support from the African Development Bank. Estimates nonetheless vary on key technical parameters, including the exact length of the segment and the construction timeline.
The project is progressing in phases. The Tanzania-Burundi segment is further advanced, while the Burundi-DRC section remains at the feasibility stage. The Kinshasa meeting reaffirmed the three countries’ commitment to move the project forward, which they see as a key regional connectivity project.
Ronsard Luabeya
Telecom tower operator Helios Towers on Tuesday announced a $100 million expansion program to extend its network coverage in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), aiming to improve access to telecommunications services, particularly in underserved areas.
The National Investment Promotion Agency (ANAPI) is backing the program under an agreement signed with Helios Towers DRC. The agency said it supports investment through an integrated framework covering all stages of a project, from design to implementation.
According to ANAPI, the expansion will span 23 provinces, including Kinshasa, Haut-Katanga, Kongo Central, Maniema, Ituri, Kasai Central, Kasai Oriental, Nord-Kivu, Sud-Kivu, Lualaba, Tanganyika, Equateur, Haut-Uele and Kasai.
Improving coverage and service adoption
The move comes as authorities seek to expand network coverage and boost telecom service adoption as part of their digital transformation agenda. In 2024, 2G, 3G and 4G networks covered 75%, 55% and 45% of the population respectively, according to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Mobile penetration stood at 44.3%, compared with 19.7% for internet use.
The company did not disclose detailed figures for the investment. Helios Towers operates by building, acquiring and managing shared telecom towers that host multiple operators. It provides passive infrastructure and energy services, including site acquisition, construction, maintenance, security and power management.
“Our infrastructure-sharing model helps MNOs expand and densify networks more quickly and at lower cost, while reducing emissions - accelerating digital inclusion for millions of people,” the company says on its website.
Expanding network coverage can drive adoption by improving both access and service quality. Extending infrastructure into rural and underserved areas enables first-time access to voice and internet services, while densifying networks in existing areas reduces congestion and improves reliability.
A model at the core of public strategy
The model is also supported by Congolese authorities and sits at the centre of the Universal Service Development Fund’s (FDSU) 2026-2035 strategy. Known as “TowerCo Lead,” the approach promotes tower companies that finance and deploy passive infrastructure — including towers, energy and backhaul — on an open-access basis. Mobile operators then install active equipment to deliver services. The goal is to connect nearly 68 million people, mainly in rural areas.
Authorities favour this approach for its economic efficiency, given the scale of the digital divide. According to the GSMA, the DRC has one of the world’s largest coverage gaps: 46% of the population lacks mobile broadband access, while 25% have no mobile coverage at all, including 2G.
The GSMA notes that expanding into so-called “white zones” requires sharply higher investment. Increasing coverage from 75% to 80% of the population requires about 150 new sites. Reaching 95% would require nearly 5,700 sites, while moving from 98% to 99% would need more than 2,000 additional sites. This makes extending coverage to remote areas particularly costly due to low population density.