News (978)
The construction and concession of the Congolese dry port of Kwala in Tanzania will require an estimated investment of $291.3 million, according to a public-private partnership approval document signed on April 11, 2026, by Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka.
The document, published on April 30, approves the contract awarded to Dubai-based Boston Developers Ltd., which signed the agreement with the Congolese government on March 12. At the time, the financial terms of the partnership had not been disclosed.
The newly released figure provides the first clear indication of the project’s scale. The initiative is part of broader logistics cooperation between Kinshasa and Dodoma along the central transport corridor. However, several key elements remain unspecified in the document reviewed, including the concession period, projected revenues, construction schedule and the concessionaire’s detailed obligations.
According to official statements about the project, financing is expected to come from the private partner.
A Hub 60 Kilometres from Dar es Salaam
The Congolese dry port of Kwala will be part of the Kwala logistics hub, located about 60 kilometres from the port of Dar es Salaam. The platform was opened on July 31, 2025, by Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan. Tanzanian authorities have presented it as a strategic tool to ease congestion at Dar es Salaam and strengthen the country’s role as a regional transit hub.
Under the arrangement, the Democratic Republic of Congo has been allocated 45 hectares at the Kwala site. The facilities are expected to streamline customs procedures, improve cargo tracking for imports and exports, and reduce logistics costs.
According to projections, the integration of the Kwala dry port could cut transit times for Congolese goods by around 10 days, reducing them from roughly 15-16 days to between five and six days.
The project is part of wider logistics cooperation between the DRC and Tanzania. In return for the land allocated to the DRC in Tanzania, the Congolese government has granted Tanzania sites in Haut-Katanga, including in Kasenga and Kasumbalesa, as well as a location at Kasanbondo in Tanganyika province.
In addition to Kwala, the DRC also has access to a 15-hectare site at the port of Katosho in Kigoma, on the Tanzanian shore of Lake Tanganyika. The facility is expected to support Congolese logistics operations in Tanzania, particularly trade flows serving eastern DRC.
Timothée Manoke
China Railway Resources Universal Limited (CRRU) is seeking to expand its strategic metals production in the Democratic Republic of Congo through a partnership with state mining company Minière de Bakwanga (MIBA). The project, presented on May 6, 2026, to Mines Minister Louis Watum Kabamba in the presence of MIBA Director General André Kabanda, aims to develop an integrated copper-cobalt complex in the Grand Kasai region.
According to materials presented by the Chinese delegation, the project would target the territories of Miabi and Kabeya-Kamwanga in Kasai-Oriental province. Planned production capacity ranges from 200,000 to 500,000 tonnes of copper per year, alongside an energy component combining hydropower and solar generation with installed capacity of between 250 MW and 500 MW.
The Mines Ministry described the initiative as a major strategic project for the mining, industrial and energy development of Grand Kasai, as part of efforts to implement presidential commitments to revive the mining and energy sectors.
MIBA Assets Back in Focus
The project draws on mining assets previously identified by MIBA. Several contracts signed between 2020 and 2021 with the company Comikas referenced copper-cobalt deposits across various permits held by the state enterprise in Kasai-Oriental, including permits PR 11858, PR 11859 and PE 410.
Those documents also indicated that the project’s mineral potential had yet to be fully confirmed. In one of the contracts, MIBA acknowledged that it did not have “sufficient information to determine the grades and quantities of copper-cobalt” present within the licence area. The document specified that exploration work would be required to establish “the quantity, quality and delineation” of potential resources.
The contracts also referred to exploration work aimed at identifying copper-cobalt deposits between the Lukula and Lubi rivers, northwest of the SACIM concession. It remains unclear whether that work was ever completed.
Despite the scale of the ambitions announced, several key parameters remain undisclosed. No official estimate of mineral reserves has been published, while the total project cost, development timeline, financing arrangements and the exact division of equity stakes between CRRU and MIBA have not been made public.
Visible Political Backing
The Mines Ministry said discussions focused on implementation arrangements for the project. Minister Kabamba reaffirmed “the government’s commitment to supporting strategic investments capable of contributing to the country’s economic transformation.”
He added that the project is receiving particular attention from President Félix Tshisekedi, who wants to see it move forward rapidly.
The involvement of CRRU, a subsidiary of the state-owned China Railway group, underscores the continued expansion of Chinese companies in the DRC’s strategic mining sector. Presentation materials linked the project to several flagship investments associated with China’s mining ecosystem in the country, including Sicomines, the Busanga hydropower dam and ore processing facilities.
Copper prices have maintained strong momentum for several months, supported by demand linked to electrification, electric vehicles, data centres and energy infrastructure. Copper prices reached record highs in 2026, briefly exceeding $14,500 per tonne in January, according to the International Energy Agency.
Several international organisations, including UNCTAD, estimate that the world will need to develop new large-scale mining projects over the next decade to meet rising demand.
Pierre Mukoko & Ronsard Luabeya
Rawbank reported net banking income of $681.8 million in 2025, a record 32.6% increase year-on-year, compared with 6% growth in 2024. Pre-tax profit rose 34% to $329.4 million, while net profit increased 8.9% to $231.6 million as tax charges nearly tripled to $97.7 million.
The strong revenue growth “reflects a broader revenue base, with significant contributions from lending, transaction banking and treasury operations across all our business segments,” Chief Financial Officer Kadija Sangho Keita said.
That broader revenue mix reflects Rawbank’s shift toward a more diversified banking model built around payments, financial structuring, markets, digital services and transaction banking.
RAW 2030
In 2025, Rawbank launched several initiatives to support that strategy. In investment banking, the lender structured a $400 million syndicated loan for the Kamoa-Kakula copper project and helped arrange the Democratic Republic of Congo’s first eurobond, which raised $1.25 billion in April. The bank also set up the country’s first modern trading floor.
Rawbank also accelerated its push into small and medium enterprise financing, deploying more than 5,000 financing packages worth about $500 million through its 20,000 SME program. It signed a partnership with COPA-Transforme to channel grants to around 5,000 SMEs over five years, for an estimated volume of $300 million.
The bank expanded its product range with the launch of leasing services and grew adjacent businesses such as bancassurance, whose business volume rose more than 150%. Digital services, agent networks and programs supporting women entrepreneurs also helped broaden its client base.
“These achievements are part of strong growth momentum, ahead of the rollout of the RAW 2030 strategic plan,” the bank said. The plan, whose implementation began this year, “aims to turn Rawbank’s solidity into a driver of economic impact for its clients and the financing of the real economy.”
The new direction was symbolized by an April 2025 rebranding, with a logo inspired by the Congolese leopard, intended to embody strength and resilience, and a new tagline that translates to “Rawbank. Beyond a bank, the future starts here.”
For Chief Executive Mustafa Rawji, the priority is now “the real economy — the one that creates jobs, income and productive capacity.” That focus is reflected in a 10% rise in the loan book to $2.29 billion, while deposits grew 1.1% to $4.8 billion. Over the next five years, the bank aims to lift its loan-to-deposit ratio from 47.8% to 50%.
The strategy also puts greater emphasis on financing SMEs and productive supply chains, rather than relying mainly on large mining accounts. Through its 20,000 SME program, Rawbank aims to support 20,000 small and medium enterprises by 2030.
RAW 2030 is also defensive. “The environment is changing rapidly. The economic, financial and regulatory landscape is becoming more demanding. The African banking sector is consolidating around increasingly powerful players. Competition is intensifying. Margins are tightening. In this shifting landscape, standing still means falling behind,” Strategy Director Thomas De Dreux-Brézé said.
To maintain its position as the leading bank in the DRC and Central Africa, Rawbank has set 2030 targets to grow its balance sheet from $6.8 billion to more than $10 billion, raise net banking income from $681.8 million to $938 million, and increase net profit from $231.6 million to $350 million, while keeping its capital and liquidity ratios above Central Bank of Congo requirements.
Pierre Mukoko & Boaz Kabeya
DR Congo’s state-owned shipping line, Lignes maritimes congolaises (LMC), is seeking to strengthen its presence on the Dar es Salaam corridor, one of the main gateways for Congolese foreign trade via the Indian Ocean.
Lambert Mende, chairman of the board of the Congolese public shipping company, met a delegation from Tanzania Shipping Company Limited (TASHICO) in Kinshasa on May 4, 2026.
According to LMC, talks focused on building a strategic partnership to improve logistics links between Kinshasa and Dar es Salaam. The two companies are considering signing a memorandum of understanding in the near term. They have already appointed representatives to oversee joint projects once the agreement is formalized.
LMC said the initiative aims to develop an integrated logistics offering between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Tanzania. The partnership is designed to attract cargo moving through eastern and southern DRC, where a significant share of mineral exports already passes through Tanzanian ports, particularly Dar es Salaam.
The partners also aim to position the DRC and Tanzania as a logistics bridge between Africa’s Atlantic and Indian Ocean coastlines. Tanzania’s ambassador to the DRC, Saidi Juma Mchana, said the countries’ complementary trade routes could open access to a regional market of more than 160 million consumers and ease the movement of goods across the subregion.
The partnership is part of LMC’s 2023-2027 revival plan, which aims to reposition the company as a maritime and multimodal transport operator for Congolese foreign trade. The plan includes expanding operations along corridors where LMC currently has a limited presence, including the Dar es Salaam corridor, as well as developing storage capacity and a broader maritime and multimodal transport offering.
The goal is economic: to secure a larger share of Congolese freight, which is still overwhelmingly carried by foreign shipping companies. Under its revival plan, LMC aims to increase its share of the country’s seaborne trade from 0.3% in 2021 to 2% by 2027, raising volumes carried from 45,000 metric tons to about 395,000 metric tons.
Ronsard Luabeya
A delegation from SACOR, described as part of a Zambian group, met DR Congo’s Minister of Mines, Louis Watum Kabamba, on May 5, 2026, to present a solution for separating solid residues from water produced during ore concentration, material known in the industry as tailings. The delegation was led by Solange Kappongo, the company’s general manager in the DRC.
According to the ministry, the technology is intended to improve mining waste management by separating solids from water. The aim is to enable water reuse in industrial processes and improve the handling of solid residues at mining sites.
The technology relies on an established industrial process. Solid-liquid separation by centrifugation has long been used across several industries. The innovation lies mainly in its application to modern mining waste management, with the goal of reducing waste volumes, recovering process water and limiting environmental risks. On its website, SACOR claims water recovery rates of up to 85%.
The minister welcomed the initiative but urged caution before any rollout. Before large-scale implementation, Louis Watum Kabamba called for pilot tests to assess the solution’s effectiveness under local conditions. The ministry also said it would help connect SACOR with mining companies operating in the DRC.
For now, the discussions remain exploratory. No contract or pilot project has been announced. Available public sources do not confirm that the technology has been used at any specific mining site in Zambia.
The initiative comes as scrutiny over mining pollution in the DRC has intensified. In November 2025, Congo Dongfang Mining, active in cobalt processing, was implicated in an environmental incident in Lubumbashi after a tailings pond ruptured. The discharge of contaminated water affected rivers, soil and several outlying neighborhoods. The company was later ordered to pay about $12.6 million and carry out remediation measures.
Against that backdrop, SACOR is seeking to tap demand for better mining waste treatment in Congo’s mining sector, including reduced water use, improved waste handling and lower risks for surrounding communities. But any future presence in the market will depend mainly on the results of pilot tests and the interest of mining operators.
Ronsard Luabeya
Eastcastle Infrastructure's Democratic Republic of Congo subsidiary is pursuing an expansion project worth about $180 million, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) said on April 27, 2026. The IFC holds an 18.38% stake in the company.
The World Bank’s private-sector arm said the project aims to expand Eastcastle’s tower network in a country where digital infrastructure remains underdeveloped.
According to the latest data from the ARPTC, the DRC had 73.9 million active mobile subscriptions in the fourth quarter of 2025, for a population estimated at 112.2 million, equivalent to a penetration rate of 65.9%. Mobile internet generates more than 55% of total sector revenue, while mobile money penetration stood at 30.6% at the end of 2025.
To support expansion in a market where access to credit is limited, the IFC is preparing a new financing package for Eastcastle Infrastructure DRC. The package is expected to include a $30 million loan with longer maturities than typical commercial financing, along with up to $30 million mobilized from other lenders. The IFC board is scheduled to vote on the proposal on May 30.
Toward more than 1,000 towers
If approved, the financing will extend the support the IFC has already provided to Eastcastle. In 2023, the institution mobilized $60 million through a similar structure to fund the expansion of the company’s tower network in the DRC.
The new commitment reflects growing interest from international lenders in the Congolese telecommunications sector, seen as one of the most promising in Africa but still among the least developed in terms of infrastructure.
“This amount, combined with $34 million from Standard Bank of South Africa, will allow us to surpass 1,000 towers in the DRC,” said Peter Lewis, co-founder and director of Eastcastle Infrastructure Ltd., at the time.
The project’s expected outcomes have not been disclosed. However, new towers are being deployed, particularly in rural and remote areas that remain underserved by traditional infrastructure.
The DRC is a strategic market for Eastcastle. In 2023, Lewis described it as “one of the best markets in Africa,” citing strong demographic growth and a structural shortage of telecom infrastructure.
The group aims to continue expanding its network to keep pace with rising mobile usage in a country where a significant share of the population remains unconnected or poorly served. Other tower companies, including Helios Towers and Esengo Towers, are pursuing similar expansion projects.
Pierre Mukoko
DR Congo’s Minister of Foreign Trade, Julien Paluku, met Rawbank executives on May 4, 2026, following earlier talks with the outgoing British Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Alyson King.
“The objective is to turn British diplomatic commitments into tangible support for our farmers,” Paluku said.
He said Rawbank is considering targeted support for local producers across six value chains: coffee, cocoa, rice, corn, cassava and palm oil, with technical assistance from the International Finance Corporation (IFC).
In March 2026, Rawbank raised $265 million from investors led by the IFC, alongside British International Investment (BII), Proparco and other partners. The package includes a $165 million senior credit facility and a $100 million risk-sharing agreement.
The IFC is also expected to provide advisory services to strengthen Rawbank’s capabilities in areas such as climate finance, agricultural finance and support for women entrepreneurs.
According to the IFC, the program could finance at least 1,500 additional small and medium-sized enterprises over the next four years, particularly in sectors such as telecommunications and fast-moving consumer goods.
Paluku said he wants the program directed toward the coffee, cocoa, rice, corn, cassava and palm oil sectors.
“We emphasized the need for targeted support for post-conflict areas to ensure the recovery is inclusive and reaches all provinces,” he added.
This points to a focus on eastern provinces, where agriculture is seen as a driver of economic recovery and stabilization.
In its latest report on the DRC, published in March 2026, the World Bank said that between 2020 and 2024, about 71.9% of total loans went to private companies, mainly in mining and telecommunications. Agriculture receives less than 5% of bank credit.
Boaz Kabeya
Social tensions are mounting in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s mining sector as the phased implementation of the country’s new guaranteed minimum interprofessional wage, known by its French acronym SMIG, begins to have tangible effects. Since May 3, 2026, labor protests have been reported at Metalkol SA, a subsidiary of Eurasian Resources Group (ERG), and at Ruashi Mining, owned by Metorex and Gécamines, over the rollout of the second phase of the SMIG, set at 21,500 Congolese francs (CDF).
According to Radio Okapi, the unrest is most visible at sites in Kolwezi and Lubumbashi, where workers are demanding that their salaries be adjusted in line with the new pay scale and are calling for broader improvements to working conditions. Employees have cited inequalities between local and expatriate staff, as well as what they describe as abusive dismissal practices and restrictions on union representation.
A dispute over the exchange rate used to convert salaries is also fueling the tensions. At Metalkol, worker representatives have accused the company of seeking to apply a rate of 1,800 CDF to the dollar — below the market rate, which is closer to 2,200 CDF — a move they say would effectively reduce workers’ real income.
A sharp increase in labor costs
Enacted under Decree No. 25/22 of May 30, 2025, the new SMIG introduced a phased increase in the minimum wage, rising from 7,075 CDF to 14,500 CDF in May 2025, then to 21,500 CDF starting in January 2026, marking an overall increase of more than 200%. The framework also maintains a wage compression ratio of 1 to 10, automatically pushing up all pay scales.
According to the Federation of Congolese Enterprises (FEC), the first phase of the increase nearly doubled payroll costs in several sectors. A mid-level manager previously earning about 70,500 CDF a day would now receive close to 145,000 CDF, equivalent to approximately $1,700 per month before benefits. Including allowances, total compensation can exceed $2,000.
If the second phase of 21,500 CDF is implemented while maintaining the current wage compression ratio, that same manager would earn more than $2,500 per month. “A level that is unsustainable for the Congolese economy,” the FEC said, warning that “the DRC cannot sustain a SMIG equivalent to that of Belgium without jeopardizing competitiveness and employment.”
The employers’ federation also argued that applying the SMIG uniformly across all sectors would amount to “condemning agriculture and forestry, already in dire straits.” The FEC has called for a more gradual and sector-specific implementation, citing in particular the need for a separate minimum wage for agriculture.
The government has maintained its stance. In January 2026, Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka reaffirmed the need to implement the revised SMIG of 21,500 CDF while calling for social dialogue within the framework of the National Labor Council.
The unrest at Metalkol and Ruashi Mining highlights a central challenge for the Congolese economy: balancing higher purchasing power with manageable business costs, in an environment marked by sharp sectoral disparities. Whether large extractive companies — generally better capitalized than other segments of the economy — can absorb the rise in labor costs is seen as a leading indicator for other sectors.
Ronsard Luabeya
Fuel prices in Beni, in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo's North Kivu province, have fallen sharply after several days of supply pressure. According to Radio Okapi, the price of a liter of gasoline dropped from 22,000 to 5,500 Congolese francs on May 3, 2026, a decline of roughly 75%.
The drop brings prices closer to official levels following a supply disruption that had severely disrupted fuel distribution across the city.
With several filling stations running dry, residents turned to informal channels, including street resellers, locally known as "Kadhafi," where prices had surged.
The current decline appears to reflect a gradual improvement in supply. It comes amid pressure from local actors, including community leaders, elected officials, and business operators, who had been calling for a quick resumption of deliveries.
A comparable situation had already been observed in March 2026, when a liter of gasoline was selling for around 8,000 Congolese francs on the parallel market, compared with roughly 2,500 francs under normal conditions. That spike had been attributed to the immobilization of fuel tankers in Kenya that were bound for Beni, Butembo, and Kasindi.
These developments are unfolding against a backdrop of nationwide fuel price adjustments. New fuel prices have been in effect across the DRC since April 17, 2026. In the eastern zone, the official price of a liter of gasoline is set at 4,400 Congolese francs, while diesel stands at 5,600 francs.
Despite the drop recorded in Beni, current prices remain above the official gasoline rate for the eastern zone, highlighting ongoing logistical costs and supply vulnerabilities in that part of the country.
Ronsard Luabeya
MainMoney launched a palm-based biometric payment system in Kinshasa on April 29, 2026, offering an alternative to cash-dominated transactions in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The system allows users to make payments without a bank card or mobile phone, using the palm of the hand as a unique identifier.
The technology relies on “Palm Vein” recognition, which analyzes the internal vein patterns of the hand to verify identity.
“The idea behind MainMoney is that your hand becomes your wallet,” Chief Executive Sylvain Mubenga said at the launch. “At least 29 million Congolese have a mobile money account, but cash still dominates transactions. We want to expand financial inclusion,” he added, according to Actualite.cd.
In a country where cash remains prevalent despite the growth of mobile money, the solution aims to simplify access to digital financial services. Users must first enroll their biometric data, which is then linked to a payment profile.
Financial inclusion on the rise
The system does not replace bank accounts but the tools used to access them, such as cards, phones or codes. It must be linked to a bank account, a mobile money account or a MainMoney wallet. Once activated, it enables payments directly at a terminal without the need for a physical device.
According to its developers, the technology is difficult to counterfeit because it relies on vein patterns inside the hand, unlike conventional fingerprint systems.
MainMoney is targeting both individuals and businesses. The terminals are designed for use in supermarkets, gas stations, healthcare facilities and workplaces, including for payroll management.
These applications have not yet been deployed at scale. For now, the solution is presented as a tool that can integrate with existing payment systems in a market dominated by mobile money and cash.
The launch comes as financial inclusion is improving. According to the National Financial Inclusion Strategy 2023–2028, published in July 2023, the inclusion rate stood at 38% in 2022. The central bank now estimates it at 50%, with a target of 65% by 2028.
Pierre Mokoko
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The U.S. Treasury Department, through its Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), has imposed sanctions on former Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila, the agency said in late April 2026, citing efforts to counter actors accused of fueling instability in the country’s east.
In a statement, the Treasury said Kabila was sanctioned for “providing support to the March 23 Movement (M23) and the Congo River Alliance (AFC),” which Washington says are driving political instability and violent conflict in eastern DRC.
The department said the former president provided financial support to networks linked to the AFC and encouraged defections from the Congolese armed forces (FARDC), contributing to the worsening security situation in the east. In September 2025, a Congolese court sentenced Kabila to death in absentia on charges of complicity with the AFC/M23.
Defending Washington agreements
Following the designation, all of Kabila’s assets under U.S. jurisdiction have been frozen. U.S. individuals and companies are barred from engaging in transactions with him unless authorized. The measures also apply to entities he owns 50% or more, as well as to transactions that could facilitate financial or material support.
Washington has previously sanctioned military officials, business networks and armed groups linked to the conflict in eastern DRC. Targeting Kabila, however, marks a new step, as the U.S. administration moves against a central figure of the former Congolese government accused of influencing security dynamics in a region rich in strategic minerals.
“Those who continue to sow instability will be held accountable,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said, adding that the United States would use its tools to uphold “the integrity of the Washington Accords,” which are intended to secure access to critical minerals.
“The Treasury Department will not hesitate to take action against groups that deny the United States and our allies access to the critical minerals vital for our national defense,” John K. Hurley, Treasury’s under secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, said during a previous round of sanctions.
Boaz Kabeya
The Office des voiries et drainage (OVD) has awarded a contract to Safrimex SARLU to rehabilitate and modernize 89.78 kilometres of roads in Mbuji-Mayi, in the eastern province of Kasaï-Oriental.
The provisional award, signed on April 23, 2026, by OVD Director General Victor Tumba Tshikela, values the contract at $317.37 million, including taxes. The document does not specify the scope of work. Based on the total road length, the project implies an average cost of about $3.53 million per kilometre.
According to the award notice, the process began in January 2026, when the OVD sought special authorisation to use a restricted tender. Approval was granted on Feb. 25, ahead of bid evaluation and the issuance of a no-objection clearance in April.
Several companies were invited to bid, including Safrimex SARLU, China Guangdong Provincial Changda Highway Engineering Co. Ltd, Colosse Construction Corp, Groupe Guang Ping International, Hong Feng, Bahari Engineering SARL, Janamapa, Koya SARLU and Constellation Business. Safrimex was provisionally selected.
Provisional award likely to be confirmed
The provisional award is expected to become final unless challenged by unsuccessful bidders. Under Congolese public procurement rules, bidders have five business days to file an appeal. If no appeal is lodged, or once any appeal is reviewed, the contract can be finalised and signed.
The award comes about two months after the same company delivered 35 kilometres of newly asphalted roads in Mbuji-Mayi. According to public media reports, the project was completed and accepted in February 2026 after 36 months of work. The cost of that earlier project was not disclosed in the sources reviewed.
Safrimex is part of the Socimex Group, founded in 1998 by entrepreneur Ibrahim Ahmad Issaoui. In addition to Safrimex, which focuses on construction and engineering, the group includes several other entities: Socimex, active in food imports and exports; Congo Oil and Derivatives, in the palm oil sector; Socitrans, which provides road transport between Matadi, Kinshasa and Bandundu; Central Motors, a distributor of Hyundai and Mazda vehicles; and Sonades, which operates in power and electrification.
Timothée Manoke
A group of Polish investors is considering setting up a mining equipment manufacturing plant in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the mining sector remains heavily dependent on imported machinery. The group presented the project to Mines Minister Louis Watum Kabamba at a meeting on April 29, 2026.
The delegation was led by Dawid Kostempski, a former local politician in Poland, and included Marie-Claire Kengo, president of the DRC-Poland Friendship and Cooperation Network. Their involvement highlights the project’s economic and diplomatic dimensions, although it remains at an early stage.
Focus of the talks
According to the Ministry of Mines, discussions focused on how to structure the investment project, which aims to establish a manufacturing plant for machinery used in mineral extraction and processing.
Beyond equipment production, the initiative includes a technical training and skills transfer component for Congolese executives and technicians. It is part of the government’s broader strategy to strengthen local value creation and build an industrial base around the mining sector.
In the DRC, mining equipment supply relies heavily on imports. This dependence poses significant challenges in terms of costs, delivery times and technological control.
Companies such as CIS SARL supply and maintain equipment used at mining sites, while other firms, particularly in Lualaba, operate in engineering and technical support. However, the country still lacks a structured local industry for large-scale mining equipment manufacturing.
In that context, if it moves forward, the project led by Polish investors could introduce a largely undeveloped activity in the DRC: local manufacturing of mining equipment. For now, the project remains at an early stage, with details on the investment model, industrial partners, potential sites and implementation timeline yet to be clarified.
Boaz Kabeya
Dubai-based Paradigm Holdings announced on April 28, 2026, that it had signed a gold supply agreement with the Congolese government, as part of its international expansion in the precious metals sector. The Congolese authorities have not disclosed details of the deal.
According to Paradigm Holdings, the partnership aims to establish a formalized gold supply network from the DRC while strengthening the UAE’s role as a precious metals trading, refining and distribution hub. The company describes the agreement as its third government-backed partnership in Africa in less than two years.
The announcement does not specify the volumes involved, the duration of the agreement, the applicable tax framework or the identity of the Congolese signatory. It also provides no details on traceability mechanisms, which are considered essential in a sector vulnerable to smuggling, money laundering and the financing of armed groups.
Commercially, the UAE is already among the top destinations for Congolese gold, alongside South Africa. According to Congolese mining statistics for 2025, nearly three metric tons of gold were exported to the UAE, valued at more than $337 million.
Paradigm Holdings describes itself as a private investment group active in commodities, real estate and clean energy. The company says it is developing operations in the extraction, trading and management of precious metals, gemstones and rare earths, with a presence in the Middle East, Africa and South America.
The Primera Gold precedent
Since 2023, the DRC has sought to formalize part of its artisanal gold production through Primera Gold DRC, a joint venture between the Congolese state and an Emirati partner. The arrangement enabled the export of more than five metric tons of artisanal gold in 2023, worth more than $300 million, before Kinshasa reasserted full control over Primera Gold in late 2024 and renamed it DRC Gold Trading.
That partnership with the UAE was presented as part of an official strategy to combat fraud and smuggling, particularly in the country’s east. However, the Primera Gold model drew criticism over its lack of transparency and tax advantages, as well as doubts about its actual capacity to clean up supply chains. U.N. experts noted that the preferential conditions granted to Primera Gold created a near-monopoly over legal artisanal gold exports.
The arrival of Paradigm Holdings could mark a new chapter in the gold relationship between Kinshasa and the UAE. For the DRC, the issue goes beyond opening a new commercial outlet. The central question is whether this new corridor will genuinely increase formal exports, secure public revenues and improve traceability in a sector historically dominated by informal networks.
Ronsard Luabeya