AI regulation in DR Congo (2026)

The DRC's first dedicated AI strategy was launched on 8 October 2025 in Kinshasa by the Minister of Digital Economy. It establishes goals around AI skills development, applied research, and local AI solutions for agriculture, mining, education, and healthcare, but creates no binding regulatory obligations.

Accompanying the AI Strategy, PNN2 commits $1 billion over five years (with $500 million in secured external financing) across four pillars: connectivity infrastructure, digital public services, human capital, and cybersecurity/digital trust. AI training for 250,000 young people is a headline target.

Ordonnance-loi N°23-010 of 13 March 2023 is the DRC's primary digital legislation, covering electronic commerce, data protection, cybersecurity, and platform regulation. The UNESCO AI Readiness Assessment found the legal framework 'under development' with no AI-specific provisions in the Code.

A UNESCO-backed National Report on AI Readiness was technically validated in April 2025. It found growing institutional awareness but highlighted weaknesses in AI talent, digital inclusion, and infrastructure, and recommended structuring national action around governance, human capital, and industrialisation pillars.

The Digital Code created an Autorité de Régulation du Numérique (ARN) as the intended single digital regulator. Pending full ARN operationalisation, a ministerial order of 17 August 2024 temporarily vests its powers in the existing ARPTIC (telecoms/ICT regulator).

The AI Strategy envisages the establishment of a Congolese Academy of Artificial Intelligence to train specialists and support applied research. This institution had not yet been formally created as of early 2026.