"DRC Mining Week 2025: Positioning DRC as a leading mining country", 12 June 2025

Day two of the DRC Mining Week 2025 kicked off with a clear message: the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is not just a mineral-rich country—it is fast solidifying its position as a global mining leader.

In a session moderated by Bongiwe Mabusela, Director of Empowerment Transactions Assessment at South Africa’s Department of Mineral Resources and Energy, participants Franklin Edochie, Head of Metals & Mining, Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) in Nigeria, and Olivier Binyingo, Chairman of the board at Kamoa Copper SA/EVP at Ivanhoe Mines, outlined the unique investment proposition of the DRC and the steps being taken to transition from potential to dominance.

Binyingo captured the essence of why the DRC has become a hotspot for mining investments. “The DRC has long been known for its mineral wealth. But today, it’s no longer just potential—it’s a realised reality.”

“Ivanhoe Mines...was one of the early believers in the extended potential of the Copperbelt. “The extensive exploration west of Kolwezi in Lualaba resulted in one of the most significant copper discoveries in recent history,” stated Binyingo.

Binyingo highlighted that beyond copper, DRC is now home to: The largest cobalt production globally; The biggest zinc project in Africa; [and] The largest coal and copper projects on the continent...

Binyingo highlighted how DRC’s vast copper reserves position it at the centre of the global green energy transition. With rising global demand for copper—driven by electric vehicles, data centres, and energy grid modernisation—the DRC stands to benefit enormously in the coming decades.

“We are already the second-largest copper producer in the world. Only Chile produces more. This is not just potential—it’s dominance in the making,” he added...

Edochie provided a financier’s perspective. He identified three core factors that make the DRC an attractive investment destination...Edochie shared how AFC [Africa Finance Corporation] is taking an ecosystem approach—investing in the Lobito Corridor, the Kinshasa Rail Project, and multiple hydropower and renewable energy ventures to power not only mines but also communities and industrial hubs...

...Mabusela emphasised that any investor must also be prepared to uplift local communities and include Congolese citizens in the journey forward. “We cannot move forward without the people of DRC.”

...Edochie echoed the call for value addition and local beneficiation as the next step in Africa’s mining evolution.

In another panel discussion titled ‘Mining Roadmap: Drawing the Future Trajectory of DRC’s Mining Sector...highlighted the challenges and opportunities for banks in supporting the mining industry, especially small-scale and artisanal miners...