The Democratic Republic of Congo is done asking for attention. From 26-28 August 2026, the Fleuve Congo Hotel in Kinshasa will host the fourth DRC Investment Forum, and the message from organisers is blunt: capital has a home, policy is moving, and the pipeline is bankable.
Last year’s forum curated US$7 billion in projects across 49 investment-ready deals, facilitated 510 confirmed one-on-one meetings, and brought 255 senior participants from more than 20 countries. This year the target jumps to US$10 billion in investment over ten years, with deeper sector dives, a full-day NextGen youth track, and what the team calls “the most aggressive matchmaking floor yet seen in Central Africa
“The DRC is no longer a story of potential. It is a story of execution,” said Ben Leyka, CEO of DRC Invest. “We have the minerals the world needs for the energy transition. We have 80 million hectares of arable land. We have 100,000 MW of hydro capacity. What we are building at this forum is the machinery to turn those numbers into jobs, power, and export revenues.”
The three-day programme is structured as three vertical plenaries. Agriculture (27 August morning), Energy (27 August afternoon), and Critical Minerals (28 August); bookended by the Congo2050 NextGen day for youth-led ventures and a closing black-tie DRC Elites Awards Gala.
Across all days, the Forum will run Investment Discovery Sessions (IDS), where project developers face a panel of investors and financial experts. A dedicated matchmaking platform will operate alongside a substantial expo floor.
Congo2050 NextGen Day (26 August): The DRC’s median age is under 17, so any credible investment story must answer to young entrepreneurs. The morning combines keynotes on “NextGen Africa: Skills, Capital and Leadership for the Next 25 Years” with parallel workshops on business model design, access to capital, digital skills, and AI.
The afternoon moves to closed-door mentorship clinics with fund managers and regulators, followed by the NextGen Investment Elevator Pitch Showcase. Selected youth-led ventures with clear revenue models and scalability pitch directly to investors and corporate partners.
Agribusiness Plenary (27 August, morning): With less than 10% of 80 million arable hectares under cultivation, the DRC’s agricultural gap is not geological but logistical and financial. Panels will cover moving from subsistence to export powerhouses under AfCFTA, financing at scale through blended finance and guarantees, and integrating SMEs and cooperatives into inclusive value chains.
The IDS session will showcase large-scale commercial farming projects and agro-industrial parks, followed by live case studies from entrepreneurs who have built successful agricultural businesses on the ground.
Energy Plenary (27 August, afternoon): The DRC holds an estimated 100,000 MW of hydropower potential (roughly 13% of the world’s total) of which only 3% is currently harnessed. Panels will address energy as an enabler of industrial growth, financing the renewable transition through climate finance and carbon markets, and productive use of energy for mini-grids and rural economies.
The IDS session will present projects across generation, transmission, and off-grid access, with direct Q&A from investors and financial experts.
Critical Minerals Plenary (28 August, full day): The DRC supplies approximately 70% of the world’s cobalt and is Africa’s top copper producer. Panels will cover the country’s strategic role in global supply chains, value addition and beneficiation through refining and battery value chains, and responsible mining aligned with ESG and traceability requirements.
The IDS session for mining will feature copper and cobalt processing, lithium and battery value chains, and mining services, followed by three entrepreneur case studies and closing remarks.
The expo floor and matchmaking run across all three days. Organisers report that 2025’s platform delivered 510 confirmed meetings, and this year’s capacity has been expanded with sector-specific loungers and translation services.
“A conference is not a deal,” said Reinhard Lotz, who handles media partnerships for the Forum. “But a conference with pre-scheduled, vetted, sector-matched meetings. That is a deal factory. We are not here for speeches. We are here to move capital.”
The Forum closes with a plenary session on “From Commitments to Capital Deployment,” followed by the DRC Elites Awards Gala (black tie) from 19:00–22:00, honouring excellence, leadership, and impact.
Registration is open at www.drcinvestforum.com. Visa support letters are available by contacting eventhost@drcinvest.com.
About the DRC Investment Forum:
The DRC Investment Forum is the premier annual platform dedicated to deploying capital, driving growth, and ensuring sustainability in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It brings together international investors, businesses, and policymakers to forge sustainable partnerships and accelerate economic transformation across agriculture, energy, and mining. The 2026 edition builds on the success of the 2025 Forum, which showcased nearly 50 bankable projects requiring over seven billion dollars in investment.
