DRC to Overhaul Petroleum Code in Bid to Attract Global Investors

In an interview with Jeune Afrique, Democratic Republic of Congo’s Minister of Hydrocarbons, Aimé Sakombi Molendo, announced that the country will undertake a complete revision of its Petroleum Code.

According to him, the reform proposal will be submitted to the Council of Ministers within the next three months before being forwarded to Parliament for approval.

Explaining the need for this reform, the Minister cited the failure of the oil block tender launched on July 28, 2022, which offered 27 petroleum blocks.

The current code’s tax regime was deemed unattractive. Other key deterrents for oil companies included the lack of detailed seismic data and the inclusion of protected areas within the offered blocks.

Following the Council of Ministers meeting held on May 2, the government announced that 52 new oil blocks have been opened for exploration.

With three blocks already awarded—Mbandaka, Lokoro, and Busira—to the Congolese Mining Company, the total now stands at 55 blocks in the Central Basin, according to the meeting summary.

Minister Molendo emphasized that these blocks have been “detoxified” by removing all protected areas, with technical support from the Ministry of the Environment.

This redrawing of the blocks also aimed to address concerns raised by environmental NGOs.

However, these adjustments have not eased opposition. Shortly after the announcement, the coalition Our Land Without Oil, comprising over 170 organizations, called for an immediate halt to the exploration process and the cancellation of the awarded blocks.

The coalition argues that the move contradicts the DRC’s commitment to being a key player in the global fight against climate change.

“The government will not back down,” said the Minister in response to criticism. He affirmed that the current policy seeks to promote exploration and production while safeguarding the interests of future generations.

He added that revising the Petroleum Code will go hand in hand with updating geological data to offer investors a clearer understanding of the country’s oil potential.

Seismic operations are expected to begin in the coming months to build a reliable and secure database.

Molendo stated that this approach is informed by recommendations from international oil companies and lessons learned from neighboring countries like Angola and the Republic of Congo, with whom the DRC now maintains technical cooperation.

He also revealed that advanced talks are underway with American companies specializing in the reprocessing of seismic data.

Such collaboration, he noted, could pave the way for future partnerships with major U.S. oil firms.