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GEOPOLIS ECONOMY
Social impact of COMINIERE SA mining projects in Manono and its surroundings
Célestin Kibeya receives the satisfaction of the Caucus of National Deputies elected from Tanganyika
The Caucus of National Deputies elected from Tanganyika appreciates at its true value the work carried out by the current management of the Congolese Mining Company (COMINIERE SA), a commercial company under Congolese law specializing in prospecting, mining, and metallurgical treatment, at the forefront and heart of the mega "Manono Lithium Project." The Caucus of National Deputies elected from Tanganyika made this known this Tuesday, February 24, 2026, to the press following a bipartite meeting in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), with the Director General of COMINIERE SA, Mr. Célestin Kibeya Kabemba. But what exactly did they talk about? Interviewed by Geopolis Hebdo, one of the media outlets of the Geopolis Forum Press Group, which is celebrating its 20th year of existence, the head of COMINIERE SA, without delay, set the record straight.
"With the Caucus of National Deputies elected from Tanganyika, the question was to discuss with the Management of COMINIERE SA the social and environmental impact of the projects it pilots in this young province resulting from the last administrative division. It was also a matter of updating the people's representatives on the ongoing negotiations with potential investors interested in creating joint ventures with the parastatal for the exploitation of the lithium-rich deposits of Manono, the infrastructure under construction in the area and to be built in accordance with the specifications, including social infrastructure, the Kalemie-Manono road via Nyunzu, 446 km long, where work is proceeding normally, and the construction of the Nyemba bridge on the Kalemie - Nyemba axis, about a hundred km from Kalemie, 136 meters long, built by Malta Forrest and definitively accepted by the Office des Routes," declared Mr. Célestin Kibeya Kabemba to the media outlet on Isiro Avenue.
Regarding the Kalemie-Manono road via Nyunzu, the work consists, among other things, of clearing the right-of-way and treating quagmires, as well as installing culverts on small stream crossings and the most sensitive areas regarding the topography of this road. This project to pave the Kalemie-Manono road axis is subdivided into 3 lots, according to the Provincial Directorate of the Congolese Agency for Large Works (ACGT) in Tanganyika.
The first lot goes from Manono to Kiyambi, a road 107 km long, which is being rehabilitated by the Chinese company CREC 7. The second lot, of 148 km, goes from the village of Mbayo to Nyunzu, piloted by the company Qiao-Yang, while the third axis links Nyunzu to Kalemie.
Launched in October 2024, these road paving works will last 5 years, which will allow for the opening up of territories in the Tanganyika province and facilitate not only the exploitation of Manono lithium but also its evacuation by road to various corridors including Lobito. The cost of the work amounts to more than 500 million USD under public-private financing.
Kibeya and COMINIERE SA on all fronts
Indeed, Manono lithium is a new project on the national stage. Lithium has always existed in the DRC, but it was necessary to wait for the technological revolution in electric batteries for it to finally be exploited. To exploit it, Kinshasa will have to meet many challenges, including the availability of electrical energy in Manono. In this regard, COMINIERE SA inherited a hydroelectric power station from GEOMINES. Since the social purpose of a mining company is exclusive, the shareholders of COMINIERE SA decided, on January 13, 2025, during a general assembly at its headquarters in Kinshasa, to create an energy subsidiary called "Mpiana Mwanga Power Sarlu" which deals essentially with the production of energy essential for exploitation and distribution. Mpiana Mwanga 1 and 2 have been rehabilitated to increase their capacity before constructing Mpiana Mwanga 3. The first power plant, Mpiana Mwan...
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[Unit] 1 is already functional with three turbines each producing 4.5 MW. The second plant also includes three turbines with a total capacity of 10 MW. Mpiana Mwanga 3 will produce around 150 MW. This will bring the total to 200 MW.
The other challenge is the access routes related to roads and bridges. In this regard, COMINIERE SA is also involved in the road axes ranging from Manono to Luambo, 479 km long, and from Manono to Kalemie. A bridge has already been built over the Luvua River, an outlet of Lake Moero and 380 km long, to facilitate flow, specifically the export of concentrates. To establish a value chain on-site, this mining project also needs inputs including consumables, fuel, and other elements necessary for the metallurgical process. One cannot develop a mining project without energy. Nor can one develop a mining project without infrastructure, without access routes. It is important to invest in infrastructure not only for mining projects but also for the integral development of the country with spillover effects on agricultural and other projects.
Overall, through frank, civic, and truthful dialogue, the aim was to evaluate the corporate social responsibility of this public enterprise, the result of a decision by the General Assembly of Shareholders, composed of the Ministry of Portfolio and the National Social Security Fund (CNSS), in accordance with the CSR standard and the relevant recommendations of Law No. 18/001 of March 09, 2018, amending and supplementing Law No. 007/2002 of July 11, 2002, concerning the Mining Code in relation to mining projects located around the riverine communities impacted by mining activities. The share capital of COMINIERE SA is majority-owned by the Congolese State at 90% via the Ministry of Portfolio, with the remaining 10% belonging to the CNSS.
Restoring Congolese State sovereignty over lithium
The Caucus of National Deputies elected from Tanganyika is not the first group to recognize the work done by the Kibeya team. "CEO Kibeya is the one who succeeded in restoring the Congolese State's sovereignty over lithium," notes an observer of the Congolese mining sector who requested anonymity. For him, the credible and effective governance of this public official, under the vision of the Head of State, Félix Tshisekedi, and the action of the Prime Minister, Judith Suminwa, has provided the central government with the tools to act with precision in the lithium sector.
Dieudonné Buanali