DRC Unveils Untapped Mining Potential: A Call to Investors
Quidah is an online platform that connects investors with curated opportunities and expert insights on Africa’s emerging markets, while offering businesses promotional services, partnership facilitation, and market intelligence to attract capital and grow their operations.
Industries
During African Mining Week, DRC’s Minister of Mines Louis Watum Kabamba spotlighted the vast untapped mineral wealth in the country — noting that less than 10 % of DRC’s mineral resources are currently exploited, leaving significant scope for greenfield investment. The mining sector, a key driver of the national economy, supports over 100,000 jobs and contributes to government revenues through taxes, royalties, and mandated community development allocations. The minister emphasized that under the country’s mining law, 0.3 % of mining companies’ annual turnover goes to local community development, reinforcing direct social impact locally.
Kabamba also highlighted that several mining operations currently under financial stress are seeking new investment partners, presenting opportunities for capital injection, restructuring, or project rescue. He underscored the government’s commitment to improving governance, reducing corruption, and stabilizing fiscal regimes to attract more foreign direct investment (FDI). Beyond raw extraction, Kabamba championed local beneficiation and value addition — suggesting that refining, processing, and downstream manufacturing in DRC could capture more value internally rather than exporting raw minerals.
For investors, the DRC’s mining landscape offers a compelling value proposition. The low exploitation rate signals large tracts of prospecting ground still available. Projects in distressed mines, mineral processing, and infrastructure services can promise both upside and strategic entry. When structured with strong governance, ESG credentials, and local partner engagement, such ventures can tap into preferential tax terms, strategic concessions, and government support. The push for local value addition further allows investors to capture margins across the full value chain — exploration, extraction, smelting, and fabrication. In short, the DRC is positioning itself not just as a raw supplier but as a future hub of African mineral value chains.
