The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is set to tighten oversight of its mining sector by requiring major mining companies to undergo annual audits on subcontracting practices and compliance with local-content laws starting in 2027, a move aimed at boosting business opportunities for Congolese-owned firms.
Beleshayi Kasanda Ted, director general of the Authority for the Regulation of Subcontracting in the Private Sector (ARSP), announced that this new measure aligns with the implementation of a local-content law that will take effect on 1 January 2027. Sector-specific rules, including sanctions and mandatory three-year compliance plans, are being developed for mining and other industries.
The DRC, the world’s largest cobalt producer and Africa’s top copper producer, is channeling more contracts and procurement spending towards local companies to strengthen the domestic economy. Major mining operators in the country include Ivanhoe Mines, Glencore, Eurasian Resources Group, and Chinese firms CMOC and Zijin.
ARSP has recently directed companies such as Glencore, Ivanhoe’s Kipushi zinc mine, and Chinese-controlled copper miner Sicomines to halt non-compliant subcontracting agreements, submit corrective plans, and increase opportunities for Congolese-owned suppliers. An Ivanhoe spokesperson confirmed ongoing communication with ARSP and affirmed that Kipushi mine complies with subcontracting regulations, while Glencore and Sicomines have yet to respond to inquiries.
To support this enhanced compliance drive, ARSP is expanding its inspection capacity by recruiting new inspectors and reviewing unresolved company inspections. However, Robert Malumba Kalombo, head of the Federation of Enterprises of Congo, cautioned that the focus should balance inspections and penalties with efforts to help build competitive Congolese businesses.
Jean-Claud Mputue, spokesperson for the nonprofit group Congo Is Not for Sale, emphasized the need for transparency in enforcement actions and disclosure of subcontractors’ beneficial ownership, warning that stricter local-content rules might enable politically connected firms to dominate contracts without proper safeguards.
In 2025, 167 major companies declared US$3.7 billion in subcontracting contracts, of which US$3.1 billion (83%) went to majority Congolese-owned companies, including US$2.9 billion within the mining sector alone, according to Beleshayi.
This regulatory push marks a significant step by the DRC to ensure its vast mineral wealth drives local economic growth and benefits Congolese businesses while maintaining robust oversight of the mining industry.
