• Minister proposes revising hydrocarbons law, drafting separate LPG legislation

• Reform to improve taxes, transparency, environmental rules, investment appeal

• Government aims expand LPG use, reduce biomass cooking reliance

At the Council of Ministers meeting on March 6, 2026, Hydrocarbons Minister Acacia Bandubola Mbongo presented a proposal to revise the hydrocarbons law and draft a separate bill on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), commonly known as domestic gas.

According to the Council of Ministers’ summary, the planned reform is expected to introduce a more flexible and incentive-driven tax framework while diversifying the methods for allocating petroleum rights, in line with practices observed in several oil-producing countries.

The future legislation is also expected to strengthen transparency in the granting of rights, improve the integration of environmental requirements, and clarify mechanisms related to local content and state representation in projects. The envisaged text would further enshrine the use of concession contracts and clarify the categorisation of oil blocks.

For the executive, the initiative is meant to modernise the sector's legal framework, enhance its attractiveness and encourage new investment. It also aims to better organise the LPG supply chain, which remains underdeveloped in the Democratic Republic of Congo, in a context shaped by the search for cleaner cooking solutions.

Biomass remains by far the primary energy source used for cooking in the country. LPG usage is still limited. In Kinshasa, its penetration rate is estimated at around 14 percent of households, or approximately 250,000 homes, according to official data cited within the framework of the DRC's energy compact. Authorities are aiming to raise that figure to 1.2 million households in the capital by 2030.

As part of this effort, a partnership was initiated in late 2025 between the Ministry of Hydrocarbons and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) focused on developing the LPG sector. Concordant sources indicate that this support is intended to contribute to strengthening the regulatory framework and mobilising investment in the industry.

The announcement extends a broader revision of the hydrocarbons legal framework that was set in motion in 2025. Authorities consider that certain shortcomings of the 2015 law contributed to reducing the sector's attractiveness, particularly following the failed tender launched in July 2022 for the allocation of 27 oil blocks.

Through this reform, the government intends to simultaneously revive the hydrocarbons sector, better regulate the domestic gas industry, and support the transition to cleaner cooking methods.

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