FROM BLACK GOLD TO GREEN CARBON

AN INITIATIVE BORN OF A PRESIDENTIAL AMBITION

The project originated from the call made by the President of the Republic, Denis Sassou N'Guesso, at COP27, held in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, in November 2022. The Head of State advocated for the establishment of a Global Decade of Afforestation and Reforestation to strengthen the role of forests in the fight against climate change. In line with this, SNPC decided to make the ecological transition a major pillar of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policy. The company thus integrated Eco-Zamba into the National Afforestation and Reforestation Program (PRONAR) and its objective of contributing to carbon neutrality by 2050.

CHANGE OF CULTURE AT WITHIN AN OIL COMPANY

For a company specializing in hydrocarbons, investing heavily in afforestation represents a true paradigm shift. SNPC's CEO, Raoul Ominga, acknowledges that the project wasn't immediately met with unanimous approval. "When you step outside your core business, the risks are significant. Initially, nearly 90% of my management committee was skeptical," he confides. A visit to the forest site developed by TotalEnergies in Batéké ultimately helped convince the teams of the project's relevance. For Raoul Ominga, the stakes go far beyond environmental communication. "SNPC is an extractive industry. We inevitably contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. Eco-Zamba represents our contribution to carbon offsetting and the preservation of our natural heritage."

To ensure the scientific credibility of the project, SNPC relied on the expertise of the Ministry of Forest Economy as well as an international firm specializing in carbon projects.

5,000 HECTARES TO CREATE A NATIONAL CARBON SINK

Two years after its launch, Eco-Zamba has become one of the largest afforestation projects undertaken by a public company in Central Africa. On Ngo's land, 5,000 hectares are being progressively transformed into forest areas capable of capturing several hundred thousand tons of carbon dioxide over the coming decades. Beyond planting trees, the project aims to restore degraded soils, improve biodiversity, protect water resources, and create a vast natural carbon sink.

This initiative now positions Congo among the African countries that are relying on nature-based solutions to address climate challenges. "When we present Eco-Zamba at major international summits, we are proud to show that Congo is taking concrete action," emphasizes Raoul Ominga.

MAKING CARBON A ENGINE OF DEVELOPMENT

One of Eco-Zamba's unique features lies in its economic model. For SNPC, the value of future carbon credits should not solely benefit the company. It must also generate income for the communities living around the project. The program is therefore based on an agroforestry system combining forest plantations and agricultural crops. Plots of land are made available to families so they can develop income-generating activities while contributing to the protection of the plantations.

“We want to create micro-enterprises around the project. People must be able to earn a living through this new green economy,” explains the Managing Director. This approach not only helps combat rural poverty but also strengthens local ownership of the project.

GIVE BACK ALL ITS VALUE OF THE LAND

For Raoul Ominga, Eco-Zamba also carries a message for Congolese youth. In his view, agriculture, forestry, and environmental professions are now sectors of the future capable of creating sustainable jobs. “We must reconnect young people with the land. With one or two hectares, properly managed, it is now possible to generate significant income while protecting the environment,” he asserts. The goal is to foster a new generation of rural entrepreneurs capable of combining economic performance with sustainable development.

A CSR STRATEGY WITH A TURN TOWARDS TOWARDS CARBON NEUTRALITY

Eco-Zamba illustrates the profound evolution of the Corporate Social Responsibility policy led by SNPC.

The company is now basing its development on three major priorities: reducing its carbon footprint; developing natural carbon sequestration sinks and supporting local communities in income-generating projects.

This strategy responds to Congo's international climate commitments while strengthening SNPC's contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals.

A SHOWCASE OF THE GREEN CONGO

While several challenges remain—plantation maintenance, carbon certification, securing funding, and ensuring the long-term involvement of local communities—Eco-Zamba is already emerging as one of the most emblematic environmental projects in the Congo. SNPC plans to organize a site visit for media professionals soon to showcase the results achieved on the ground. Beyond the figures, Eco-Zamba symbolizes a profound shift in the vision of development: that of an oil company choosing to make forestry a new strategic investment.

In a context where international markets are placing increasing value on carbon, Ngo's project could well become one of the African benchmarks in green economy, demonstrating that it is possible to transform an extractive industry into an actor in the ecological transition without giving up its economic purpose.

ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACT LONG-TERM BENEFITS

The Eco-Zamba afforestation project aims to generate significant environmental, social, and economic benefits, making this initiative a major lever for protecting the planet and improving the well-being of local populations. By developing and preserving forests, Eco-Zamba contributes to carbon sequestration, ecosystem restoration, biodiversity preservation, and improved living conditions for local communities.

The Republic of Congo plays a leading role in the preservation of the Congo Basin forests. In this capacity, the Ministry of Forestry Economy implements the forestry policy defined by the Government, in accordance with international commitments regarding the sustainable management of tropical forest ecosystems.