Democratic Republic of Congo President Félix Tshisekedi has issued a stern ultimatum to cobalt exporters flouting new production quotas, threatening permanent bans from the mineral-rich nation's markets in a bid to curb smuggling and reclaim billions in lost revenue.

The announcement, delivered during a mining sector summit in Lubumbashi, targets firms exceeding limits on the DRC's vast cobalt output—over 70 percent of the world's supply—from Kolwezi's industrial belt.

Tshisekedi, facing domestic pressure to diversify beyond raw exports, vowed "zero tolerance" for breaches that drain $2 billion annually to neighboring states like Zambia and Rwanda. "Exporters who violate quotas will be permanently banned," he declared, directing the mining ministry to enforce audits and traceability tech.

The policy, part of a July decree capping production at 200,000 tonnes yearly, aims to stabilize prices battered by oversupply and fund local processing hubs. Yet critics, including the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, question enforcement amid corruption scandals that saw $1.3 billion vanish from Gécamines in 2024.

Small-scale miners, who feed 20 percent of output, fear job losses if multinationals like Glencore pull back.For Africa, the DRC's cobalt conundrum epitomizes the green transition's double edge: a $10 billion lifeline for 500,000 jobs versus exploitation that fuels conflict and leaves communities with polluted rivers and child labor.

As China dominates 80 percent of DRC cobalt deals, Tshisekedi's gambit tests Beijing's leverage while courting U.S. and EU partnerships for battery plants.With EV demand projected to quintuple cobalt needs by 2030, the clampdown could reshape supply chains, but success hinges on transparency to attract ethical investors and shield artisanal miners from the fallout.