DR Congo Plans First Stock Exchange to Attract Investment in Critical Minerals

KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo – The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is preparing to launch its first stock exchange as it seeks to attract greater investment into an economy benefiting from rising global demand for critical minerals used in artificial intelligence, clean energy and advanced technologies.

Finance Minister Doudou Fwamba Likunde Li-Botayi said the planned Kinshasa Stock Exchange is expected to begin operations in 2027, with securities to be traded in both the Congolese franc and the US dollar.

The government is working with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to establish the country’s capital markets framework while legislation to regulate the market is currently before the Senate.

According to the minister, the exchange forms part of a broader strategy to diversify corporate financing, attract foreign investment and gradually strengthen the role of the Congolese franc in the financial system.

Although authorities aim to promote greater use of the local currency, the exchange will initially accommodate the country’s highly dollarised economy, where more than 95% of bank deposits and over 80% of government securities are denominated in US dollars.

Mining companies expected to lead listings

The government expects mining companies to become the first major listings on the new exchange, while also encouraging businesses from other sectors to raise capital through initial public offerings (IPOs).

Listed companies are expected to benefit from reduced corporate income tax rates as part of efforts to encourage participation in the domestic capital market.

Authorities also hope the exchange will enable Congolese citizens to invest directly in companies operating within the country’s economy, broadening local participation in wealth creation.

Growing investor interest

The initiative comes as the DRC experiences growing international investor interest driven by its vast reserves of copper, cobalt and lithium, minerals that are increasingly critical to artificial intelligence infrastructure, electric vehicles and the global energy transition.

The country is Africa’s largest copper producer and one of the world’s leading cobalt suppliers.

The government has also intensified efforts to attract foreign investment through new mining agreements and exploration partnerships.

Investor confidence has strengthened following the successful issuance of the country’s inaugural US$1.25 billion Eurobond earlier this year, while high commodity prices have supported economic growth.

According to International Monetary Fund projections, strong mineral exports are expected to make the DRC Africa’s fifth-largest economy this year.

The proposed stock exchange would place the DRC among a growing number of African countries expanding domestic capital markets, following recent stock exchange launches in Ethiopia and Somalia and Zimbabwe’s US dollar-denominated exchange established in 2020.