DRC Brings Oil Development Push to AEW 2026 as Hydrocarbons Minister Leads Sector Agenda

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is stepping up efforts to develop its hydrocarbons industry, with Minister of State for Hydrocarbons Acacia Bandubola Mbongo set to speak at African Energy Week (AEW) 2026 in Cape Town, where she will present the country’s evolving oil and gas agenda to international investors and industry stakeholders.

Her appearance comes as Kinshasa moves to strengthen some of the infrastructure needed to support a more active petroleum sector. In July, the country launched its first national petroleum and gas data bank, inaugurated by Bandubola in Kinshasa. The platform is intended to centralize and improve access to geological and petroleum information, providing a more structured basis for exploration and investment.

Exploration is also moving up the government’s agenda. On September 15, Bandubola chaired discussions on accelerating the development of oil blocks 1 and 2 in the Albertine Graben, an area in eastern DRC where the government has been seeking to advance petroleum activity. The latest discussions underscore Kinshasa’s focus on moving prospective acreage toward development rather than leaving resources at the exploration stage.

At the same time, the DRC is looking beyond its borders for technical expertise. In May, Bandubola signed an agreement with Algeria’s energy minister covering cooperation in hydrocarbon exploration and production, as well as technical expertise and petroleum data. The partnership reflects Kinshasa’s efforts to draw on experience from established African oil and gas producers as it builds out its own sector capabilities.

The government is also working on the downstream side of the industry. Earlier this year, the hydrocarbons ministry outlined projects aimed at improving fuel supply in three provinces, including additional storage and distribution infrastructure. Such investments form part of a broader effort to strengthen the systems needed to supply a country with significant distances between producing areas, population centers and markets.

Bandubola’s role also has a regional dimension. The DRC is taking on a leadership position within the African Petroleum Producers’ Organization in 2026, giving the Minister an additional platform to engage with other African oil and gas producers on investment, technical cooperation and the development of the continent’s petroleum resources.

For investors, the DRC’s challenge is increasingly about translating prospective resources into a functioning industry – supported by credible data, exploration activity, infrastructure and partnerships. AEW 2026 provides a platform for the government to outline how it intends to do that and where international capital and expertise could fit into the next stage of development.

“The DRC has an enormous opportunity to build a stronger domestic oil and gas industry, but realizing that potential requires more than resources underground. It requires credible data, infrastructure, technical expertise and investment partnerships that can turn geological potential into productive assets and economic opportunity,” said NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber. “Acacia Bandubola Mbongo’s participation comes at an important moment as the country works to put those building blocks in place and engage investors on the opportunities emerging across its hydrocarbons sector.”