The President of Democratic Republic of the Congo, Felix Tshisekedi, has directed a comprehensive audit of mining export revenues and state assets, citing significant financial leakages despite record output.
According to Cabinet outlook, the country—one of the world’s leading suppliers of cobalt and copper—exported about 3.4 million metric tonnes of copper in 2025, up from 3.1 million tonnes in 2024, while cobalt exports reached approximately 220,000 tonnes.
However, exports in early 2026 declined to about 955,000 tonnes between January and March, compared to 1.09 million tonnes during the same period in 2025.
Despite these gains, Tshisekedi warned that weak oversight, opaque joint ventures, non-repatriation of earnings and capital flight were depriving the state of critical revenue. He has ordered an audit to be completed within 30 days, with initial findings expected by June 15.
The President also directed the integration of customs, port authorities, the central bank and commercial banks into a unified tracking system to ensure transparency across all mineral exports and imports.
In addition, authorities have been tasked to intensify a crackdown on illegal mining, including the seizure of equipment and prosecution of offenders. The move forms part of broader reforms aimed at strengthening state control over the sector, following earlier findings that major mining firms underreported an estimated 16.8 billion U.S. dollars between 2018 and 2023.