The Democratic Republic of Congo's mining sector is undergoing a major overhaul, led by Mining Minister Louis Watum Kabamba. As part of efforts to strengthen controls and enforce regulations, Watum has introduced a series of measures aimed at curbing irregularities and promoting transparency. The initiative, which began in December 2025, focuses on the traceability of minerals, operator compliance, and adherence to regulatory provisions. This move is crucial for the Lualaba province, a hub of Congolese mining production.
In January 2026, control reports revealed irregularities in almost all the processing entities examined in Lualaba and Haut-Katanga. In response, regularization measures and sanctions were implemented against the operators concerned. This initial phase aimed to bring the targeted companies into compliance with the law. The administration has also been targeted by this clean-up policy. Following controls conducted in December 2025 and January 2026, the minister gathered the heads of various mining administration bodies to discuss the respect of regulations, work quality, and performance obligations.
The mining minister has also conducted a tour of services under his portfolio, calling on officials and agents to revise their working methods and strengthen professional discipline. Emphasis was placed on individual responsibility, administrative efficiency, and improved monitoring of mining activities. In October 2026, a new control campaign was launched in Lualaba and Haut-Katanga, targeting various actors involved in the management and exploitation of mining sites. Irregularities, including the presence of presumed irregular expatriates and the alleged installation of perception devices on certain sites, have been reported.
The control of sites also raises the issue of cohabitation between artisanal exploitation and mining concessions. Authorities seek to prevent illicit activities in allocated perimeters while promoting the legal exercise of artisanal exploitation. Protecting the rights of concession holders and providing creuseurs with access to viable artisanal exploitation zones are among the stakes of this regulation. The Service d'assistance et d'encadrement de l'exploitation minière artisanale et à petite échelle (SAEMAPE) plays a crucial role in organizing this branch of the mining sector.
On October 21, the mining minister signed a series of decrees targeting several SAEMAPE officials, including the Director General, Jean-Paul Kapongo Kadiobo, and the provincial director in Lualaba, Georges Nyembo Kitungwa. The grievances cited include alleged shortcomings in preventing artisanal exploitation within allocated mining perimeters and the installation of services perceiving practices likely to infringe on concession holders' rights. These measures place administrative officials face-to-face with their obligations in monitoring mining activities.
The approach adopted by the mining minister extends across several axes: control of processing entities, monitoring of artisanal exploitation, protection of mining rights, and accountability of the administration. This initiative is part of the government's mining policy, led by President Félix Tshisekedi and coordinated by Prime Minister Judith Suminwa. For this clean-up effort to be more than just a flash in the pan, local authorities must ensure the effective implementation of measures, transparency of controls, and respect for administrative procedures.
The effectiveness of this policy will be measured by the regularization of concerned operators and the prevention of new irregularities. The mining sector clean-up is expected to have a lasting impact on the management of natural resources in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Key to this effort is the involvement of local authorities and the mining administration in enforcing regulations and promoting transparency.
Key points
- The Democratic Republic of Congo's mining sector is undergoing a major overhaul, led by Mining Minister Louis Watum Kabamba.
- The initiative focuses on the traceability of minerals, operator compliance, and adherence to regulatory provisions.
- Local authorities must ensure the effective implementation of measures, transparency of controls, and respect for administrative procedures.
