More than 50 delegates from over 16 nationalities are in Lubumbashi, DRC, for a seven-day high‑profile trade mission organized by Equity Group. The roadshow will proceed to Kolwezi, with B2B forums and site visits aimed at connecting investors to projects and financing across Katanga’s mining ecosystem and adjacent sectors.
The delegation includes participants from Burundi, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya, alongside representatives from Brazzaville, Poland, Zimbabwe, Eritrea, Lebanon, India, the UAE, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Germany, the United Kingdom and South Africa, a signal of widening global interest in DRC deal flow. Equity says the mission aims to unlock opportunities, strengthen regional economic ties and accelerate cross‑border trade as the DRC’s entry into the East African Community expands the single market.
At the launch, Equity framed the mission as a deal‑making platform linking capital to on‑the‑ground projects, with its DRC unit, Equity BCDC, positioned to structure and finance transactions in subcontracting, logistics, energy and agro‑processing tied to mineral demand.
Setting the tone for the week, Equity’s Director for Brand & Global Communications, Nicole Dow, said the programme is built to connect entrepreneurs and investors with high‑growth markets and give them direct exposure to frontier opportunities. “Through our strategic Trade Missions, we seek to bridge the gap between entrepreneurs, investors, and high-growth markets, empowering businesses to scale, expand, explore investment opportunities, and thrive across the continent,” she said, noting the roadshows also offer a chance to build relationships with key stakeholders on the ground.
Speakers urged investors to look past ore extraction and seize first‑mover openings in services, logistics, energy and processing across the Katanga value chain, as well as in the consumer economy forming around the region’s mining towns.
“As the world’s leading source of cobalt and a top global producer of copper and other critical minerals, the DRC plays a central role in the global green energy transition. Beyond mining, the country holds vast agricultural potential, major infrastructure gaps that present investment opportunities, and a large youthful consumer base driving urban demand,” said Paty Paterne Mushagalusa, Associate Director for Commercial Projects at Equity BCDC, adding that continued reform efforts, fiscal consolidation and regional integration through the EAC are enhancing investor confidence.
“Today, the DRC is the world’s second-largest producer of copper and the leading producer of cobalt, with Katanga alone contributing approximately 40% to national GDP and accounting for nearly 80% of exports. Katanga is not just a mining hub; it is a strategic engine for the global energy transition,” said Yves Bizunga, Equity BCDC’s Deputy Managing Director for the Southern Region, urging investors to look beyond the pit into services anchored to mineral exports, including logistics, energy, subcontracting and supply‑chain finance.
Policy and facilitation agencies in Haut‑Katanga moved to reassure investors on procedures, incentives and repatriation. Lydia Wabiwa, who heads the Haut‑Katanga office of the Agence Nationale pour la Promotion des Investissements (ANAPI), said the agency promotes opportunities, assists investors through applications and simplifies procedures to unlock incentives, urging delegates to route approvals through state‑recognised channels. Lubumbashi‑based finance professional Michel Kinkele Orelis pointed to mining governance and traceability reforms, stronger tax administration and clearer compliance rules, adding that company registration now takes about three days when documents are in order, with standardized invoicing (introduced last December) and guarantees on profit repatriation improving predictability.
Beyond commodities, sector players highlighted agriculture and light manufacturing to meet fast‑rising urban demand and reduce food imports. “DRC has a strong opportunity in agribusiness, agro-processing, and food import substitution. AGRICOS offers potential investors a strategic gateway to sustainable agribusiness in the DRC, providing market insights, partnership facilitation, value chain support, and access to local networks. We promote innovation, investment opportunities, and responsible practices that enhance productivity, create jobs, and drive inclusive growth across the agriculture sector,” said Eric Lwamba Mayanga, president of the Federation of Congolese Agribusiness (AGRICOS).
He added that the country’s location—bordering nine countries and a member of EAC, COMESA, SADC and AfCFTA, provides access to Atlantic trade routes and regional trade corridors.
Programme highlights include B2B meetings and site visits in Lubumbashi and Kolwezi focused on mining‑adjacent services, logistics, energy solutions and agro‑processing. Equity said it will match investors with projects and discuss financing structures, from trade finance to working‑capital lines, to accelerate execution.
The DRC trade mission builds on previous Equity‑led roadshows in the DRC, Uganda‑Tanzania‑Zanzibar and Rwanda in 2025, and the Kenya‑DRC, US‑Tanzania and US‑Tanzania‑Kenya trade missions held in 2021 and 2022. The current week‑long programme is expected to culminate in deal pipelines and partnerships, with organisers pointing to deeper EAC integration and mineral‑driven demand as tailwinds for Kenyan and regional firms in supply, transport, energy and processing along the Lubumbashi–Kolwezi corridor.
