DRC Launches Strategic Overhaul of Hydrocarbon Law to Boost Investment and Energy Sovereignty
DRC Begins Revision of Outdated Hydrocarbon Law to Attract Investors and Align with Energy Transition Goals
The Minister of Hydrocarbons, Aimé Sakombi Molendo, officially launched a strategic workshop on Thursday, July 31, 2025, to revise Law No. 15/012 of August 1, 2015, which governs the Democratic Republic of Congo’s hydrocarbon sector.
The event took place at the Rotana Hotel in Kinshasa/Gombe, attended by lawmakers, government officials, industry experts, and sector partners.
Now ten years old, the current hydrocarbon law is widely viewed as outdated and inadequate in addressing the sector’s evolving challenges, particularly around attractiveness to investors, transparency, and the global shift toward energy transition.
“We need to bring our legal framework in line with modern standards and ensure it is competitive with other countries in the region and across the continent,” said Minister Molendo.
Minister Molendo praised President Félix Tshisekedi’s vision for revitalizing the hydrocarbons sector, while also openly acknowledging the shortcomings of the current legislation. These include:
A complex and unclear rights allocation system
Discouraging fiscal terms for investors
Weak enforcement and oversight mechanisms
He emphasized the importance of creating a reliable, investor-friendly legal environment, particularly one that also supports local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Describing the workshop as “the beginning of a consultative, inclusive, and pragmatic reform process,” Minister Molendo underlined the DRC’s intention to develop a legal framework that is attractive to international operators while advancing national energy sovereignty.
Despite its vast resource potential, the DRC remains a marginal oil producer, with daily production still below 25,000 barrels.
The revised legal framework aims to reverse this trend by unlocking exploration and investment.
To guide the reform process, a Commission of Experts was created by ministerial decree on July 15, 2025.
The body will operate under the coordination of the General Secretariat for Hydrocarbons, providing technical input and policy direction throughout the revision process.
According to an expert interviewed by Zoom Eco, the workshop represents a strategic pivot by the Congolese government to assert its energy sovereignty and strengthen its influence on the African oil landscape.
As global energy markets evolve, the DRC’s reform of its hydrocarbon law could position the country as a more competitive and transparent destination for upstream oil and gas investments in Africa.
