African Export-Import Bank plans to broaden its financing strategy across the mining value chain in the Democratic Republic of Congo, aiming to unlock investment by supporting projects from early development through to production.
The Cairo-based lender said the initiative focuses on addressing a key bottleneck in the sector — a shortage of bankable projects — despite the country’s vast reserves of copper, cobalt and other critical minerals.
The strategy was outlined following a mining value chain forum held in Lualaba province, which brought together industry operators, subcontractors, financial institutions and government stakeholders to examine financing constraints.
Afreximbank said it intends to deploy a range of financial instruments to help turn mining opportunities into investment-ready projects capable of attracting structured finance.
These include asset-backed financing to mobilise long-term capital, as well as a project preparation facility designed to support ventures at an early stage and improve their viability.
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“The objective is to convert potential into bankable transactions,” the bank said, highlighting the need for stronger project pipelines to draw both local and international investors.
The move reflects a shift from a narrow focus on extraction to a broader approach encompassing the entire mining ecosystem, including logistics, energy supply, and support services.
Under the plan, financing will target not only large mining firms but also subcontractors, transport operators, energy providers and small and medium-sized enterprises operating around mining sites.
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Analysts say this wider scope could help increase local value addition and strengthen economic linkages within the sector, which has historically been dominated by foreign operators.
Afreximbank also aims to deepen the role of domestic financial institutions by expanding co-financing and guarantee mechanisms with Congolese banks.
The approach is intended to boost local lending capacity while mitigating risks, allowing more domestic capital to flow into strategic industries.
In addition, the bank plans to roll out trade finance tools such as export pre-financing and factoring to improve liquidity for businesses, particularly smaller firms involved in mining subcontracting.
Limited access to credit has long constrained the growth of SMEs in the sector, restricting their ability to scale operations and integrate into supply chains.
By easing financing conditions, Afreximbank hopes to enable these firms to play a greater role in the country’s mining-driven economy.
The initiative builds on the bank’s existing footprint in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where it is involved in several large-scale projects linked to industrial development.
These include participation in special economic zones focused on battery and electric vehicle production, part of a regional value chain initiative with neighbouring Zambia.
The bank is also supporting the development of a 200-megawatt hydroelectric power project on the Lufira River, aimed at addressing chronic energy shortages that have constrained mining output.
The project includes technical, financial and legal structuring support, reflecting Afreximbank’s integrated approach to infrastructure and industrial financing.
The Democratic Republic of Congo is the world’s leading producer of cobalt and a major supplier of copper, both essential for clean energy technologies such as electric vehicles and renewable power systems.
However, challenges including infrastructure gaps, financing constraints and regulatory risks have limited the sector’s ability to fully capitalise on global demand.
Afreximbank said its expanded strategy seeks to address these constraints by combining financing, risk mitigation and project development support.
If successful, the initiative could help transform the country’s mining sector into a more integrated and value-driven industry, while boosting economic growth and job creation.
