Tshisekedi Orders Full Review of DRC’s Oil and Gas Assets
DRC Orders Comprehensive Review of Oil and Gas Assets as Kinshasa Advances Cooperation with Uganda and Angola
President Félix Tshisekedi has directed the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) government to conduct a comprehensive review of the country’s oil and gas sector as Kinshasa seeks to unlock its hydrocarbon potential and accelerate new development projects.
The review, assigned to State Minister for Hydrocarbons Acacia Bandubola Mbongo, will cover the country’s oil and gas reserves, existing assets, exploration and production licences, ongoing projects, partnerships and the constraints affecting exploration, production and processing.
The assessment will also examine the infrastructure supporting the sector, including transport, storage, refining and marketing facilities.
The directive was issued during the 96th meeting of the Council of Ministers on 14 August 2026.
DRC Reassesses Oil and Gas Potential
The review comes as the DRC seeks to expand oil production beyond the existing activities concentrated largely in Kongo Central and convert its geological potential into commercially viable projects.
In 2022, the government launched a bidding process covering 27 oil blocks and three gas blocks.
The oil-block tender was cancelled in October 2024 following concerns including irregular or unsuitable bids, delays and insufficient competition.
The government subsequently indicated that the process would be relaunched, although no new timetable had been established.
The new assessment could provide the government with a clearer picture of the sector and help determine the investments, regulatory measures and infrastructure required to advance exploration and production.
Lake Albert Cooperation with Uganda
A major focus of the review will be the DRC’s hydrocarbon interests in Lake Albert, where geological formations extend across the border with Uganda.
President Tshisekedi has called for a roadmap for cooperation with Kampala that takes into account the DRC’s economic interests, environmental considerations and the protection of communities.
The development comes as Uganda advances major projects on its side of the basin, including the Tilenga and Kingfisher oil fields and the 1,443-kilometre East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) to Tanzania.
EACOP reported overall project progress of 91% as of 7 August 2026, while Uganda is targeting the start of commercial oil production in the second half of 2026.
However, the proposed DRC-Uganda cooperation does not yet mean that Kinshasa is part of EACOP or that a joint development agreement for Lake Albert has been concluded.
The immediate step is the preparation of a bilateral roadmap that will determine the scope of future cooperation.
The DRC is also advancing cooperation with Angola through the Joint Maritime Area of Interest, a shared offshore zone with significant hydrocarbon potential.
The framework is further developed than the Lake Albert initiative. On 22 July 2026, the two countries signed an amendment to the production-sharing agreement for Block 14/23, alongside a declaration concerning implementation of the governance agreement for the shared maritime area.
Joint governance structures are also being established to oversee operations and a shared account, with economic rights structured on an equal basis between Kinshasa and Luanda.
The DRC government is now seeking a detailed progress report on the initiative, including issues surrounding the country’s access to deep waters.
The latest directive brings together three priorities for the DRC’s oil and gas strategy: reviewing the national hydrocarbon portfolio, establishing a structured cooperation framework with Uganda and advancing the existing partnership with Angola.
For Kinshasa, the next challenge will be translating these initiatives into active licences, investment, infrastructure and additional production.
A clearer understanding of the country’s oil and gas assets could also help attract private-sector investment and strengthen the DRC’s position within the increasingly competitive regional energy market.
