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AI regulation in DR Congo: laws & policy (2026)

AI in DR Congo: guidelines only.

The Democratic Republic of Congo has no binding AI-specific legislation. In October 2025, the government launched its first National AI Strategy 2025-2030 alongside the National Digital Plan 2026-2030, setting aspirational goals for AI education, infrastructure, and applied research. The Digital Code (2023) provides a general legal framework for digital activities, covering data protection, cybersecurity, and electronic commerce, but contains no dedicated AI governance provisions.

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Legal framework

National AI Strategy 2025-2030 (launched October 2025); National Digital Plan 2026-2030 (PNN2); Digital Code Ordonnance-loi N°23-010 of 13 March 2023 (broad digital framework, no AI-specific provisions); UNESCO AI Readiness Assessment (validated April 2025)

Key points: artificial intelligence in DR Congo

  1. National AI Strategy 2025-2030

    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.

    iafrica.com oecd.ai

  2. National Digital Plan 2026-2030 (PNN2)

    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.

    ecofinagency.com iafrica.com

  3. Digital Code (2023), No AI-specific rules

    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.

    droitnumerique.cd unesco.org

  4. UNESCO AI Readiness Assessment (2025)

    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.

    unesco.org

  5. Regulatory authority, ARPTIC / ARN

    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).

    droitnumerique.cd

  6. Congolese Academy of AI, planned

    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.

    iafrica.com

Sources

  1. iafrica.com/drc-launches-national-digital-plan-and-first-ai-strategy-to-become-re
  2. iafrica.com/drc-unveils-8-7-billion-digital-plan-to-expand-connectivity-and-ai-sk
  3. ecofinagency.com/news-digital/1210-49482-drc-launches-1-5b-national-plan-to-build-a-di
  4. oecd.ai/en/dashboards/policy-initiatives/national-artificial-intelligence-str
  5. unesco.org/en/articles/drc-has-its-national-report-artificial-intelligence-readi
  6. droitnumerique.cd/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Code-du-numerique-I-RD-Congo.pdf
  7. droitnumerique.cd/regulation-du-numerique-en-rdc-larptic-investie-autorite-unique-pour-

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Orientation, not legal advice: verify against the primary sources linked above. Last verified 24 May 2026. Methodology & how to cite · State of Technology Regulation 2026