Visionary Prince Nyampala Kicks Off Inaugural DRC National Gold Day
Prince Nyampala, the visionary behind the inaugural National Gold Day in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), set the stage for a profound dialogue on the significance of gold at the Congo lounge of the Pullman Grand Hotel in Kinshasa on October 24, 2023.
In his opening address, Prince Nyampala, who boasts 17 years of expertise in communication, events, and public relations as the Managing Director of ALTESS SARL, emphasized the remarkable rarity of gold.
He shared that the Earth takes an astonishing one million years to produce just one gram of this precious metal.
“Specialists claim it would take one million years to create one gram of gold. I say one million years. Therefore, every time we neglect, undervalue, or disregard Congo’s gold, we insult millions of years of the Earth’s work to make us rich.
Gold enriches those who wear it, but even more so those who possess it,” explained Prince Nyampala, the entrepreneur and visionary behind this project aimed at promoting the DRC’s gold.
Having already lent his support to major players in the Congolese economy, Prince Nyampala now dedicates himself to elevating the country’s gold sector to new heights. He introduced “WOLO” as a tool to establish a more prominent presence for Congolese gold on the global stage.
According to Prince Nyampala, “WOLO” symbolizes the imprint of Congo’s gold on the world stage, with “WOLO” being the creolized transcription of “OR” in Lingala.
The event serves as a platform for networking and business opportunities in the DRC’s gold sector, welcoming various stakeholders, including equipment manufacturers, financiers, bankers, NGOs, gold miners, cooperatives, local communities, industrialists, exporters, and customs officials. In essence, it invites all to contribute to the growth of a dynamic and structured sector.
Prince Nyampala stressed that this event is a groundbreaking initiative in the DRC: “WOLO” marks the very first forum dedicated to gold in the country. He called for strong government support to sustain this platform for shaping the future of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
He pointed out that the DRC, with estimated gold reserves of nearly 2,000 tonnes and 64 million ounces in 2021, holds immense geological potential.
Prince Nyampala highlighted the paradox of underdevelopment amidst abundant gold resources: “Our people live in underdevelopment while our subsoil contains the metal that best symbolizes wealth—gold. In various towns across the DRC, the population looks to us to see how we will utilize gold as a catalyst for development.”
He cited countries like Ghana, Ivory Coast, and South Africa, which have effectively harnessed their gold potential for infrastructure, progress, and development through planning and commitment.
Prince Nyampala, the Managing Director of Primera Gold, a joint venture initiated in December 2022 between the Congolese Government and the United Arab Emirates, revealed that nearly three tonnes of artisanal gold evade the DRC’s administration in South Kivu province.
Before Primera Gold’s establishment, the DRC exported only 38 kg of artisanal gold per month. The current average stands at 600 kg per month.
To address smuggling and leverage gold mining resources for national development, the meetings’ participants recommended improving regulations in the gold sector.
