The Democratic Republic of Congo will begin annual audits of major mining companies from 2027 as the government steps up enforcement of local-content rules and seeks to increase opportunities for Congolese-owned businesses.
The Authority for the Regulation of Subcontracting in the Private Sector, known by its French acronym ARSP, will oversee the audits, its Director General Beleshayi Kasanda Ted told Reuters.
The reviews will examine mining companies’ subcontracting arrangements and their compliance with rules requiring greater participation by Congolese businesses.
The new enforcement regime is part of a broader push by the government to retain more economic value from the country’s mineral wealth. Congo is the world’s largest producer of cobalt and Africa’s second-largest producer of copper.
The local-content legislation is scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2027. Industry-specific guidelines are being prepared and are expected to include penalties for noncompliance, as well as mandatory three-year compliance plans.
ARSP has already intensified inspections of major mining operations. Earlier this month, it ordered Glencore’s Kamoto Copper Company and Mutanda Mining, as well as Ivanhoe Mines’ Kipushi zinc operation and Chinese-controlled Sicomines, to end subcontracting arrangements that did not meet regulatory requirements and submit plans to address the shortcomings.
Ivanhoe said it remained in discussions with ARSP and considered its Kipushi operation compliant with applicable subcontracting rules. Glencore and Sicomines did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Kasanda said ARSP was recruiting additional inspectors and reviewing outstanding company audits as it prepares for the annual monitoring programme.
The regulator’s data showed that 167 large companies reported $3.7 billion in subcontracting contracts during 2025. About $3.1 billion, or 83%, went to companies majority-owned by Congolese nationals, with mining accounting for about $2.9 billion of the total.
The government wants to increase the share of contracts awarded to local businesses. Still, the policy has raised concerns among companies and business groups about the ability of domestic suppliers to meet the requirements.
Robert Malumba Kalombo, head of the Federation of Enterprises of Congo, the country’s largest private-sector business association, said enforcement should be accompanied by measures to help Congolese companies become more competitive.
Civil society groups have also called for greater transparency around subcontractors and their beneficial owners to prevent companies with political connections from benefiting from the rules.
The new audits add to wider efforts by Kinshasa to increase state oversight of the mining industry. In July, the government moved to enforce a separate requirement for international mining companies to transfer 10% of their equity to Congolese nationals, including a 5% stake for employees.
The measures come as Congo seeks to attract investment into its critical-minerals sector while ensuring more of the economic benefits remain in the country.
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Emmanuel Abara Benson is a business journalist and editor covering artificial intelligence, global markets, and emerging technology.
He has previously worked with Business Insider Africa and Nairametrics, reporting on finance, startups, and innovation.
His work focuses on AI, digital economy, and global tech trends.
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