DRC Plans Landmark Mining Reform to Make Workers Shareholders

The Democratic Republic of Congo is preparing a draft decree to finally enforce one of the most ambitious provisions of its 2018 Mining Code: requiring mining companies to reserve 10% of their equity for Congolese nationals.

The move is designed to ensure that the country's vast mineral wealth generates direct ownership opportunities for Congolese citizens rather than benefiting only shareholders and foreign investors.

Under the proposed framework, 5% of a mining company's equity would be allocated to Congolese employees through worker cooperatives. Rather than requiring workers to purchase shares upfront, companies would provide interest-free financing, with future dividends used to repay the cost of the shares.

Once the financing is fully repaid, workers would become the outright owners of the stake and receive the full benefits of future dividends.

The remaining 5% would be reserved for other Congolese nationals through locally owned companies or public social security institutions. Together, the measures aim to broaden participation in one of the world's most strategic mining industries and ensure that more Congolese citizens benefit directly from the country's copper, cobalt, and critical mineral wealth.

The reform comes as the government increases pressure on mining companies to comply with the law. In January 2026, Mines Minister Louis Watum Kabamba instructed operators to provide proof of compliance by July 31, 2026, warning that sanctions could follow for those that fail to meet the requirement.

Major companies operating in the country, including Glencore, Ivanhoe Mines, and CMOC, are expected to demonstrate how they will implement the ownership provisions.

One of the most significant elements of the draft decree is its anti-dilution protection. The proposed rules would prevent companies from reducing the Congolese ownership stake through future capital increases or share issuances, ensuring that the 10% allocation remains intact over time regardless of changes in corporate structure.

Supporters argue that the reform could mark a historic shift in the way mining wealth is distributed in the Democratic Republic of Congo. By transforming workers from employees into shareholders, the government hopes to promote long-term wealth creation, strengthen local participation in the sector, and align mining growth more closely with national development objectives.

If fully implemented, the decree would represent one of the most significant local ownership reforms in Africa's mining industry and could redefine how the world's leading cobalt producer shares the benefits of its natural resources with its own citizens.