Félix Tshisekedi has directed his cabinet to conduct a comprehensive review of mining joint ventures to confirm compliance with national laws, including rules on the repatriation of export earnings.
Minutes from a recent council of ministers meeting, released on Monday, show that the president ordered the relevant ministries to begin the audit process within 30 days, with initial results expected by June 15, according to Bloomberg.
He stressed that the exercise should “identify gaps, evaluate uncollected revenues, and recommend corrective actions.”
Tshisekedi also warned that failure to repatriate mining income as required by law, along with capital flight through fraudulent import schemes, “remains a major weakness” in the country’s economy.
The DRC is the world’s leading producer of cobalt and ranks second globally in copper output.
Most mining projects in the country including major operations run by firms such as CMOC Group Ltd., Glencore Plc, and Barrick Mining Corp. involve minority stakes held by the state or state-owned entities.
Under Congolese regulations, mining companies are required to repatriate between 60% and 100% of export revenues, depending on whether they have recovered their initial investments.
“The government’s response must be firm, practical, traceable, and technically sound,” the president said.
Back in October 2024, authorities in the DRC intensified enforcement against firms sourcing minerals from the conflict-hit eastern region, where smuggling has worsened an already severe humanitarian crisis.
At the time, officials warned Apple Inc. that some of the tin, tantalum, and gold used in its supply chain could be linked to violence in Congo and smuggled through neighbouring Rwanda, Bloomberg reported.
The latest audit initiative places the DRC alongside other African countries tightening oversight of extractive industries, including Ghana and Senegal, which have recently launched sector-wide reviews.
Recent audit initiatives in Ghana and Senegal
In October 2025, Ghana launched its most extensive mining sector audit in ten years, with a strong focus on gold production.
The review aimed to assess output levels, mineral distribution systems, tax and royalty payments, and environmental compliance across major operators such as Newmont Corporation, Zijin Mining Group, AngloGold Ashanti, Gold Fields Limited, Perseus Mining, and Asante Gold Corporation.
The process began in November with inspections at Gold Fields’ Damang site and Perseus operations, and is expected to conclude with Xtra-Gold’s Kibi project by June 2026.
Meanwhile, in April 2024, Senegal’s newly elected president Bassirou Diomaye Faye announced plans for a sweeping audit of the country’s oil, gas, and mining sectors.
He made the declaration during a national address, while also reaffirming Senegal’s openness to continued foreign investment.