Louis Watum Marks First Year with Push for Greater Transparency, Formalisation and Investment

DRC Mines Minister Louis Watum Outlines Mining Reforms and Investment Priorities After First Year in Office

Louis Watum Kabamba has marked his first year as Minister of Mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) by highlighting reforms aimed at improving governance, strengthening transparency, formalising artisanal mining and unlocking greater value from the country’s vast mineral resources.

Since taking office in August 2025, Watum has focused his agenda on six key areas: improving governance and transparency, combating fraud and mineral smuggling, formalising artisanal mining, strengthening the distribution of mining revenues, expanding geological exploration and accelerating major mining projects.

A stronger focus on mining governance

One of the ministry’s main priorities has been modernising the administration of the mining sector.

The government has been working to digitalise mining records and improve access to information covering mining contracts, feasibility studies, production data and registered operators.

The creation of a sectoral data warehouse is expected to provide authorities and industry stakeholders with more reliable information while strengthening oversight.

The ministry has also intensified inspections of mining and processing operations. Inspections conducted in Lualaba and Haut-Katanga identified compliance gaps involving traceability, production reporting, environmental requirements and administrative procedures.

The government says stronger monitoring is intended to promote greater compliance with the Mining Code and improve accountability across the sector.

Stepping up the fight against mining fraud

Combating fraud and illegal mineral trading has also featured prominently during Watum’s first year.

The ministry has increased efforts to monitor mineral production and strengthen traceability throughout the supply chain.

The operationalisation of mechanisms dedicated to combating mining fraud is expected to improve coordination between government agencies and make it more difficult for illegally sourced minerals to enter formal markets.

For the DRC, strengthening mineral traceability remains particularly important as international buyers increasingly demand assurances about the origin and legality of critical minerals.

Bringing artisanal mining into the formal economy

Artisanal mining continues to provide livelihoods for millions of people across the DRC, but the sector faces persistent challenges involving safety, environmental management, traceability and access to formal markets.

Watum’s ministry has therefore placed greater emphasis on formalising artisanal operations through the development of designated Artisanal Mining Zones and stronger oversight of mining cooperatives.

The approach also seeks to improve miners’ access to training, financial and social protection mechanisms while encouraging alternative economic activities in mining communities.

The broader objective is to create a more organised artisanal mining sector in which miners can operate under recognised structures and contribute more effectively to the formal economy.

Ensuring mining communities benefit

Another major priority has been improving the impact of mining revenues at community level.

According to the ministry’s assessment, funds collected from mining companies have supported hundreds of community development projects in areas including education, healthcare, water supply, energy, roads and agriculture.

The government is also seeking to increase the participation of Congolese nationals and businesses in the mining economy.

This includes greater emphasis on local ownership, domestic suppliers and the development of businesses capable of participating in mining value chains rather than remaining on the margins of the industry.

Expanding geological exploration

Watum’s agenda also extends to understanding and developing mineral resources beyond the country’s established mining centres.

The ministry has been pursuing geological and geophysical studies in partnership with international institutions, while strengthening the technical capacity of government agencies responsible for geological research.

Projects in regions such as Kasaï-Oriental are intended to assess additional copper potential and identify new opportunities for mineral development.

The government is also exploring opportunities in minerals including iron ore and manganese as part of efforts to diversify the country’s mining portfolio.

Moving towards greater value addition

A key challenge for the DRC is ensuring that its mineral wealth generates more value inside the country.

Rather than relying heavily on the export of unprocessed or minimally processed minerals, the government wants to encourage greater investment in processing, refining and downstream industries.

This approach could create additional employment, strengthen local supply chains and increase the economic contribution of mining to the broader economy.

The strategy is particularly relevant as demand continues to grow for copper, cobalt and other minerals considered critical to the global energy transition.

A sector undergoing transformation

After his first year in office, Watum’s agenda reflects an attempt to address both longstanding challenges and emerging opportunities within the DRC’s mining industry.

The priorities are clear: improve governance, strengthen mineral traceability, formalise artisanal mining, ensure communities benefit from mining activity, expand geological knowledge and attract investment into new projects.

The real test, however, will be implementation.

With the DRC holding some of the world’s most significant deposits of copper, cobalt and other critical minerals, improving regulation and attracting investment will need to go hand in hand with building local industrial capacity.

If successfully implemented, the reforms could help the country move beyond simply extracting mineral resources towards developing stronger domestic value chains and securing a larger share of the economic benefits generated by its mineral wealth.