The Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC’s) mining sector continues to attract global capital, but power shortages are still the biggest challenge to growth and shape how financiers engage with the market, says Standard Bank DRC client coverage head Serge Bilambo.

Energy availability is now at the centre of mining investment decisions in the country.

“It is really important. The demand for energy from the mining sector in the DRC is roughly 2 000 MW and our State-owned company SNEL [Société Nationale d’Electricité], is only able to produce around 500 MW to 600 MW,” he outlines.

Mining companies are forced to import power – about 500 MW or 600 MW – from neighbouring countries, such as South Africa and Zambia, but this still leaves a large gap of 1 000 MW.

Bilambo says that, consequently, miners are now turning to alternative energy solutions, including solar, storage and thermal power projects, which in turn, are creating new financing needs across the sector.

Despite all these efforts, power shortages are still directly limiting output in the world’s second-largest copper-producing country.

“Last year, the sector in DRC produced 3.3-million tonnes of copper . . . if the country had enough power, I can only believe that [the]. . . figure would have reached . . . 4-million to 4.5-million tonnes of copper,” he adds.

Against this backdrop, Standard Bank has positioned energy financing as a core part of its mining strategy in the DRC, along with its other traditional mining finance, to ramp up investment in energy security and increase copper production.

The bank’s approach, Bilambo says, is shaped by its dual local and global footprint, which gives it an “edge”.

“Our focus in the DRC is really with multinational corporates, the ecosystem and also large local corporates. Having that global relationship with partners or shareholders in the DRC is helping significantly.”

This global connectivity, he says, is not only relationship-driven but also critical from a financing perspective, particularly in a capital-intensive mining market where funding needs often exceed what local operations can support.

“Because of this, we’re structuring some of the facilities with the balance sheet and the support of the group,” adds Bilambo, noting that this enables Standard Bank DRC to participate in large mining deals, making it a strategic financial partner of mining operations in the country.

Expansion Sponsor

Standard Bank’s visibility in the sector is reinforced through various industry platforms, such as the DRC Mining Week, a major networking and engagement forum for key mining stakeholders in the country.

As lead sponsor, the bank supports the growth of the event while using it to demonstrate its mining expertise and strengthen client relationships: “We see that event as really a good opportunity for us to show our expertise in the mining sector,” explains Bilambo.

The bank brings in mining and financing specialists from across its network, including China, Mauritius and South Africa, to engage directly with clients in the DRC and at industry platforms, offering structured and cross-border financial solutions tailored to mining operations.

Regional integration is another growing focus, particularly across the Copperbelt shared by the DRC and Zambia, he says.

“Some of the mining companies that are operating in the DRC are sister companies to those that are operating in Zambia. Clearly, there’s a way to find and consolidate our support to mining companies in the two countries.”

Despite certain challenges, Bilambo remains confident about the outlook of the DRC’s mining sector, as he foresees the sector developing with new investors, especially in critical minerals such as lithium.

“We can only see a bright future for the mining sector of the DRC,” he concludes.