Congo’s state-backed artisanal cobalt buyer EGC is seeking closer ties with end-users, including electric vehicle battery makers, as it looks to expand the market for traceable artisanal cobalt, a senior executive told Reuters.
Congo is the world’s largest cobalt producer and artisanal – or small scale – suppliers account for about 15% to 25% of output. The government has stepped up efforts to formalise the sector through export quotas and tighter oversight of a metal critical to the energy transition.
Entreprise Generale du Cobalt (EGC), established to channel artisanal cobalt into formal supply chains, has shipped 100% of its allocated export quota since Congo introduced the system last October, demonstrating the model can deliver traceable supply at commercial scale, senior adviser Daniel Saka Mbumba said.
Leading battery manufacturers and automakers have avoided artisanal cobalt over concerns about child labour and traceability. EGC’s push for closer ties with end-users could open a new outlet for Congo’s product.
No unused quotas
Congo’s cobalt miners say complex shipping rules have made it difficult to fully utilise quota allocations, while regulator ARESCOM has warned that unused quotas will be forfeited.
Congo exported 696,725 metric tons of copper cathode and 51,940 tons of cobalt hydroxide in the first quarter of 2026, according to government data.
EGC shipped 3,995 tons of contained cobalt and around 1,400 tons of copper this year, fully utilising its export allocations, Saka said, even as others struggled to meet quotas.
EGC currently sells through Trafigura, Mercuria and Traxys, but wants to engage more closely with end-users to better understand their sourcing requirements for potential direct sales.
Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) and other cobalt end-users faced U.S. litigation over Congo’s artisanal sector, sharpening industry focus on responsible sourcing. Apple denied the allegations.
Saka said EGC wants to demonstrate that challenges around responsible sourcing can be addressed and artisanal cobalt can meet international standards.
The company works with five cooperatives and has 12 more partnerships underway.
EGC recently completed its maiden shipment via the Lobito Corridor, exporting 587 tons of cobalt and 500 tons of copper cathodes through Angola. Transit time fell to about five days from 28 days via Dar es Salaam and more than 30 days via Durban, underscoring the corridor’s logistical advantage, Saka said.
By exporting through multiple corridors, EGC can offer customers greater logistical flexibility and route options, Saka said, adding that the company is preparing to extend its formalisation model to metallic ore coltan.
(Reporting by Maxwell Akalaare Adombila; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)
