• Plans include new pipelines, depot upgrades, and expanded logistics capacity

• Operators seek rail subsidies, regular supply, and price structure enforcement

Democratic Republic of the Congo’s hydrocarbons minister, Acacia Bandubola Mbongo, has unveiled projects aimed at improving fuel supplies in the provinces of Grand Equateur, Kasai and Sankuru.

 She presented the plans to executives from oil logistics and distribution companies at a meeting on Jan. 8, 2026.

 The minister said priorities for 2026 include building new pipelines, expanding storage depots and upgrading existing infrastructure, to improve supplies to underserved provinces.

 Olivier Okunda, deputy director general of Cobil, said the meeting sought to identify projects that could strengthen fuel supplies in Grand Equateur, Kasai and Sankuru. He said technical data and supporting figures would be sent to the minister for government approval.

 A 2022 roundtable between the state and oil operators recommended a dedicated roadmap for supplying Grand Equateur and the Greater Kasai region, including clearing and marking waterways, maintaining and rehabilitating national roads, and building fuel stations in each territory.

 Other proposals included expanding the fuel-marking programme and strengthening logistics capacity, including the provision of fire-fighting equipment to provinces.

 Oil operators also called for subsidies for state rail operator SNCC to increase volumes transported and expand the fleet of tank wagons. They also urged regular supplies to provinces and the effective application of the official price structure in each province.

Ronsard Luabeya, with Bankable