washington, February 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — AFDG (now Copper Intelligence) has successfully entered into a binding agreement to complete the transaction for the Butembo mineral rights in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. In conjunction with SPA, AFDG shares were issued to licensees and ownership of the mining interest is now held by a US-based entity, completing a reverse takeover transaction (RTO).
The deal was signed in parallel with the Strategic Minerals Roundtable held in Washington, D.C., in conjunction with the launch of Project Vault by President Trump, attended by His Excellency Felix Tshisekedi, President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Aldo Cesano, Director of Copper Intelligence, and the first Critical Minerals Ministerial Meeting hosted by Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the State Department in Washington, D.C.
Copper Intelligence, Inc is now the first independent DRC company to be publicly traded in the United States.
Andrew Groves, Chairman of Copper Intelligence, said: “We are pleased to maintain our position as the leading American company operating in Africa, concentrating our assets in the world’s finest copper deposits in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. “The geology and expected first-class yields in the Democratic Republic of the Congo provide us with the opportunity to create a unique, purpose-built copper exploration company. Going forward, our technical team will drive shareholder value through a systematic exploration program, asset additions, and results validation.”
Director Aldo Cesano added, “We believe that Copper Intelligence will make a significant contribution to the people and communities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo where we work.”
Alan Kessler, director and founder, concluded: “We are confident that Copper Intelligence has the resources, timing and execution capabilities to address the global copper shortage and create shareholder value as a pioneering African company.”
About the Butembo Copper Project
Butembo is a low-lying, near-surface land with first-class exploration opportunities, located close to Mount Rwenzori, home to Uganda’s largest copper mine (Kilembe with 4 million tonnes of proven reserves), and only 50km from the Ugandan border, with confirmed rail access. High-grade copper samples to date have yielded copper assays of 18%, which, if maintained during production, would rank among the best in the world.
Position of the industry and DRC
According to the Washington Post, the annual copper shortage could reach 6 million tons or more by 2035, based on projected demand scenarios. The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) estimates that closing this gap will require the opening of around 80 major new mines by 2030.
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Media contact:
www.copperintelligence.com
Maxine Gordon
mg@africandiscoverygroup.com
(917) 478-0406
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Source: African Discovery Group
