Can the DRC sustain global cobalt demand without deep structural reform?

Surging global cobalt demand is colliding with fragile supply chains, deadly artisanal mining conditions and mounting geopolitical risks centred on the Democratic Republic of Congo.

KOLWEZI, DR CONGO– Rising demand for cobalt is projected to exceed 220,000 metric tons by 2026, driven by electric vehicles, AI hardware and grid-scale batteries.

But more than 70% of the world’s cobalt comes from the Democratic Republic of Congo – a dominance increasingly burdened by tragedy, weak regulation and geopolitical fault lines.