The Democratic Republic of Congo is set to begin enforcing a long-standing regulation that requires mining companies to allocate part of their share capital to Congolese employees, a move that could significantly alter ownership structures across the country’s copper and cobalt industry.
Mines Minister Louis Watum said mining firms must demonstrate that at least five percent of their share capital is held by local employees.
Companies have been given until July 31, 2026, to submit proof of compliance, according to a directive shared by the ministry on social media.
The decision is expected to affect some of the world’s largest producers of copper and cobalt operating in Congo, a country that supplies roughly 70 percent of global cobalt output and ranks as the world’s second-largest copper producer.
Major international players active in the sector include Glencore, CMOC Group, Ivanhoe Mines, Eurasian Resources Group, and Zijin Mining Group.
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The enforcement order is part of broader mining sector reforms anchored in Congo’s 2018 mining code, which introduced measures aimed at increasing local participation and ensuring greater domestic benefits from the country’s vast mineral wealth.
While the requirement for employee ownership has existed for years, it has not been consistently applied until now.
The mining code also provides for an additional five percent of shares to be made available for purchase by private Congolese individuals, although this provision was not explicitly referenced in the minister’s latest directive.
Congo’s push for stronger local ownership comes as the government engages in discussions with the Trump administration over potential increases in U.S. investment in the mining sector, which has historically been dominated by Chinese firms.
The employee shareholding rule operates separately from existing provisions that require mining projects to grant the Congolese state a ten percent free-carried interest, with an additional five percent payable when mining permits are renewed.
Beyond copper and cobalt, Congo remains a key mining hub for other strategic minerals, including gold, lithium, tantalum, tin, and zinc. Barrick Mining, for instance, operates one of Africa’s largest gold mines in the country.
Congo’s move aligns with a broader trend across Africa, where governments are tightening mining regulations to boost local ownership and state revenues.
Countries such as Burkina Faso, Niger, Guinea, and Zimbabwe have recently revised their mining laws to expand state participation, increase royalties, and strengthen foreign exchange controls, arguing that decades of liberal mining regimes have delivered limited returns to local economies.
