US-based KoBold Metals, backed by billionaire investors Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates, has signed a new mineral exploration agreement with the Democratic Republic of Congo, signalling deeper American engagement in Africa’s critical minerals sector.
The deal, announced by Congo’s presidency, grants KoBold rights to apply for exploration permits, including access to the Manono lithium project—one of the world’s largest untapped lithium reserves.
The Manono site is currently at the centre of a legal dispute involving Australia’s AVZ Minerals, but KoBold’s agreement in principle with Congolese authorities marks a bold move by the company to position itself as a key player in the global energy transition. The agreement was signed in Kinshasa by Mines Minister Kizito Pakabomba and KoBold’s local managing director Benjamin Katabuka, under the supervision of President Félix Tshisekedi.
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Congo is already the world’s largest cobalt producer and a major source of copper, tantalum, and lithium—minerals vital for electric vehicles and clean energy storage. As the US looks to reduce its reliance on Chinese supply chains, this partnership reflects growing geopolitical competition in Africa’s mining landscape. China currently dominates Congo’s mining sector, a position bolstered by its 2016 acquisition of the Tenke Fungurume mine.
The KoBold deal forms part of broader US-Congo cooperation, which includes American-backed peace initiatives and digital modernisation of geological data. Known for its use of artificial intelligence in exploration, KoBold is expected to enhance transparency and efficiency in mineral discovery.
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As global demand for clean energy surges, Congo’s mineral wealth is increasingly strategic. KoBold’s entry deepens US investment in Congo’s mining future and underscores a broader shift in how nations are competing for the resources underpinning the green transition.
