The Democratic Republic of Congo plans to begin annual audits of subcontracting practices at major mining companies from 2027 as part of efforts to strengthen compliance with local-content rules, the head of the country’s subcontracting regulator has said.
The move comes as the world’s leading cobalt producer and Africa’s largest copper producer steps up oversight of its mining sector, with authorities seeking to increase the share of contracts and procurement spending going to Congolese-owned businesses.
A new local-content law is due to take effect on January 1, 2027. Officials are also preparing regulations for mining and other sectors, including penalties for non-compliance and mandatory three-year plans for companies to meet local-content requirements.
Beleshayi Kasanda Ted, director general of the Authority for the Regulation of Subcontracting in the Private Sector (ARSP), told Reuters last week that the measures would strengthen enforcement of the new rules.
Major mining companies operating in Congo include Ivanhoe Mines, Glencore, Eurasian Resources Group, China’s CMOC and Zijin.
Earlier this month, the ARSP instructed Glencore, Ivanhoe Mines’ Kipushi zinc operation and Chinese-controlled copper producer Sicomines to address subcontracting arrangements considered non-compliant, submit corrective-action plans and create more opportunities for locally owned suppliers.
An Ivanhoe spokesperson said the company remained in regular discussions with the ARSP and maintained that its Kipushi mine complied with the relevant subcontracting regulations.
Glencore and Sicomines did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Beleshayi said the regulator was also deploying a new team of inspectors and reviewing unresolved findings from previous company inspections as part of efforts to improve enforcement.
However, Robert Malumba Kalombo, head of the Federation of Enterprises of Congo, the country’s largest private-sector business association, cautioned that the new approach could place too much emphasis on inspections and penalties rather than helping Congolese businesses develop the capacity to compete.
Jean-Claud Mputue, a spokesperson for the nonprofit group Congo Is Not for Sale, called for greater transparency in enforcement and more disclosure of the beneficial owners behind subcontracting companies.
He said tighter local-content rules could create opportunities for politically connected businesses to secure contracts unless stronger safeguards were introduced.
According to Beleshayi, major companies reported $3.7 billion in subcontracting contracts in 2025, with $3.1 billion, or 83%, awarded to companies majority-owned by Congolese nationals. The mining sector accounted for $2.9 billion of the total.
Goodness Anunobi
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