PHC targets 2028 launch for palm oil refinery in DRC
The company plans to refine its own output as it seeks a bigger share of the local market.
DRC – Plantations et Huileries du Congo plans to build a palm oil refinery that could start operations by 2028, according to its managing director Monique Gieskes.
She shared the update in an April 2026 interview with Forbes Africa, where she said “will be operational in the next two years.”
The company, which Kuramo Capital Management has controlled at about 76.2 percent since 2020, wants to move beyond crude palm oil production. At present, PHC produces crude palm oil and palm kernel oil and sells much of it to refiners in Kinshasa and Kongo Central.
The planned refinery would allow the company to process part of its output locally while still supplying crude oil to existing clients. This step would help the firm keep more value within its own operations. PHC has not yet shared the planned capacity of the refinery.
The move comes as PHC works to grow its production. Output has stayed almost flat in recent years, rising slightly from 80,000 tonnes in 2023 to 81,000 tonnes expected in 2025. The company still aims to reach 100,000 tonnes by 2026.
Its operations span three sites in Boteka, Yaligimba, and Lokutu. Across these locations, PHC controls about 106,000 hectares, with roughly 30,000 hectares currently planted with oil palm. The remaining land offers room for future planting.
The company also points to ongoing research at its CREATY center in Yaligimba. Gieskes referred to experimental seeds described as “albino” or low in beta carotene, which may produce lighter oil at the point of extraction. However, no independent scientific findings have been made public to support these claims so far.
PHC’s plans take shape in a market where local supply falls short of demand. Estimates from the US Department of Agriculture place domestic production at around 300,000 tonnes per year, while demand exceeds 500,000 tonnes. This gap has kept the country reliant on imports, which creates room for local processors to expand.
By adding refining capacity and working to raise output, PHC is positioning itself to serve more of the domestic market while reducing the share of value that leaves the country.
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