The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) will introduce annual audits of major mining companies’ subcontracting practices and compliance with local-content requirements from 2027, in a move aimed at directing more business and procurement spending to Congolese-owned companies.
The Authority for the Regulation of Subcontracting in the Private Sector (ARSP) will oversee the audits as part of a broader effort to strengthen enforcement across the mining industry. A new local-content law is scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2027, with sector-specific rules being prepared for mining and other industries.
According to ARSP Director General Beleshayi Kasanda Ted, the new rules will include sanctions for non-compliance and require companies to develop three-year compliance plans. The regulator is also expanding its inspection capacity by recruiting new inspectors and reviewing previously unresolved company inspections.
The policy comes as the DRC, the world’s largest cobalt producer and Africa’s leading copper producer, seeks to retain more economic value from its mineral wealth by increasing the participation of domestic businesses in mining supply chains.
The scale of the opportunity is significant. Beleshayi said 167 major companies declared $3.7 billion in subcontracting contracts in 2025. Of that amount, $3.1 billion, or 83%, went to companies majority-owned by Congolese nationals, while the mining sector alone accounted for about $2.9 billion.
ARSP has already begun taking enforcement action. It recently ordered Glencore, Ivanhoe Mines’ Kipushi zinc operation and Chinese-controlled copper producer Sicomines to end subcontracting arrangements deemed non-compliant, submit corrective plans and expand opportunities for Congolese-owned suppliers.
Ivanhoe said it remained in regular contact with ARSP and considered Kipushi compliant with applicable subcontracting rules. Glencore declined to comment, while Sicomines had not immediately responded to requests for comment.
The new regime is nevertheless raising concerns over how enforcement will be implemented. Robert Malumba Kalombo, head of the Federation of Enterprises of Congo, warned that the policy could become overly focused on inspections and penalties rather than helping Congolese businesses build the capacity and competitiveness needed to serve major mining operations.
Civil society has raised a separate concern over transparency. Jean-Claud Mputu, spokesperson for Congo Is Not for Sale, called for greater disclosure of enforcement actions and the beneficial ownership of subcontractors.
He warned that stricter local-content requirements could allow politically connected businesses to capture contracts if stronger safeguards are not put in place.
The annual audits could therefore reshape procurement across the copper and cobalt industry, creating opportunities for domestic suppliers while forcing international mining companies to scrutinise ownership structures, contractors and supply chains more closely.
The effectiveness of the policy will ultimately depend on whether the DRC can combine tougher enforcement with transparent rules and support for local companies capable of meeting the technical, financial and operational demands of large-scale mining.