Delivering support where clients do business: Dentons bolsters African footprint in Kolwezi

The decision for Dentons, the world’s largest global law firm, to establish a presence in Kolwezi, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), reflects both the importance of the city to the global economy and Dentons commitment to being closer to its clients’ operations, says Mohamed Zaanouni, CEO of Dentons' Africa Region. 

The capital city of Lualaba Province, Kolwezi is a fast-growing city of nearly 600,000 inhabitants that was established in 1937 as a small mining settlement. Sitting among some of the world’s richest mineral reserves, it has since become a global epicentre for copper and cobalt mining, and is now undergoing rapid urban development. 

“Kolwezi sits at the centre of some of the world's most significant mining, infrastructure, and energy transition projects,” says Zaanouni, who has overseen a strong expansion of Dentons across key African markets. “By expanding our footprint there, we strengthen our ability to deliver sophisticated legal advice to clients navigating increasingly complex opportunities and challenges across the region."

The opening of an office in Kolwezi builds on Dentons 2025 launch of offices in the DRC’s capital of Kinshasa and in neighbouring Brazzaville, reinforcing a commitment to delivering on-the-ground legal support wherever clients do business.

Located at the heart of the Congolese (Katanga) Copperbelt, Kolwezi plays a critical role in the international supply chains supporting the energy transition.

Beyond its mineral wealth, Kolwezi serves as a vital logistics gateway linking the DRC to regional and international markets, says Dentons. Through strategic transport corridors connecting to Angola's Lobito Port, Tanzania's Port of Dar es Salaam, Zambia and onward to ports in South Africa and Mozambique, Kolwezi has become a critical hub for trade, investment and cross-border commerce.

“Being present in Kolwezi enables us to work even more closely with our clients at the heart of the DRC's mining and industrial activity,” says leading Congolese lawyer Pathy Liongo, who last November became the Managing Partner of Dentons in DRC. “Whether supporting major investments, financing transactions, regulatory matters, infrastructure development or dispute resolution, our team is well positioned to help clients seize opportunities and manage risk in this dynamic market."

Dentons Pathy Liongo & Associates in the DRC combines deep local knowledge with the strength of the world's largest global law firm, providing clients with integrated advice across a broad range of practice areas, including mining, project development, energy, banking and finance, corporate and M&A, infrastructure, employment, tax and dispute resolution.

As reported by Africa Legal, over the past year Dentons has rapidly expanded its African footprint by partnering with leading local law firms and launching Dentons offices in Ethiopia in October 2025, the Democratic Republic of the Congo in November, in Dakar, Senegal in December with Dentons Legalix, and in Cameroon in December with Dentons MKN.

With the launch of a Kolwezi office, the world’s largest global law firm now has a presence in 26 locations across 17 African nations, with more than 280 lawyers with ‘boots on the ground’ across the continent.