Photo source : eramet.com/ Eramet-Dumper-Gabon

Libreville, Gabon , – 02 June 2025 –

Gabon Announces Ban on Manganese Exports to Boost Industrialization and Economic Sovereignty

Libreville, Gabon – June 2, 2025 – In a bold move aimed at transforming Gabon’s economy, President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema has announced a ban on the export of raw manganese, effective January 1, 2029. The decision, unveiled during a Council of Ministers meeting on May 30, 2025, is part of a broader strategy to strengthen Gabon’s industrial base, enhance local value addition, and reduce dependency on foreign mining conglomerates.

A Historic Shift in Economic Policy

Under the leadership of President Oligui, Gabon is pursuing an ambitious economic transformation agenda, prioritizing industrialization, job creation, and fiscal resilience. The ban on raw manganese exports is a cornerstone of this policy, signaling a decisive shift from resource extraction to local processing.

Gabon is the world’s second-largest producer of manganese, with an estimated production of 4.6 million metric tons in 2022, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). However, despite its vast mineral wealth, the country has historically seen limited benefits from its resources due to foreign-dominated extraction and export of raw materials.

President Oligui emphasized that the new policy aligns with Gabon’s long-term vision of economic sovereignty.

“The current seven-year term must mark a visible break with the slowness and inertia of the past,” he declared. “We are committed to profound and measurable change in the lives of the Gabonese people by focusing on structuring economic levers.”

Three-Year Transition Period for Industry Adaptation

To ensure a smooth transition, the government has granted a three-year adjustment period for mining operators to invest in local processing facilities. Key industry players, including Compagnie Minière de l’Ogooué (COMILOG), a subsidiary of French mining giant Eramet, will need to comply with the new regulations.

Eramet, which holds a significant stake in COMILOG, responded cautiously to the announcement. In a press release dated June 2, 2025, the company acknowledged the government’s ambitions but stressed the need for collaboration to maintain Gabon’s role as a key manganese supplier to the global steel industry.

“Eramet will continue to work with the authorities in a spirit of constructive partnership,” the statement read. “We aim to safeguard the strategic role of COMILOG and Setrag in sustaining Gabon’s economy while ensuring the sustainability of our operations.”

Broader Economic Reforms and Strategic Funds

Beyond the manganese export ban, President Oligui unveiled a series of sweeping economic reforms, including the creation of five strategic funds to drive industrialization and infrastructure development.

The National Fund for Energy and Water (FNEE) will enhance energy sovereignty, while the Strategic Fund for Fisheries and Aquaculture (FDPA) aims to boost food security. The Gabonese Fund for Housing and Habitat (FGHL) will regulate and finance affordable housing, and the National Fund for Infrastructure (FNI) is designed to modernize economic and social infrastructure. Additionally, the Strategic Agricultural Fund (FSA) will catalyze investments in agriculture and create jobs.

Furthermore, the government will ban the import of broiler chicken by 2027 to stimulate local poultry production, reduce food imports, and strengthen the trade balance.

Addressing Cost of Living and State Asset Management

To combat rising living costs, the government will establish a central purchasing agency for essential goods, ensuring price stability and equitable distribution.

President Oligui also ordered a comprehensive audit of state assets, including real estate, land reserves, and administrative leases, to curb mismanagement and recover misappropriated resources.

Brice Oligui Nguema Sworn In as President After Controversial Election.

Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema was officially sworn into office as Gabon’s fourth president, marking a new chapter in the nation’s politics after the 2023 coup that ousted his cousin, Ali Bongo Ondimba. Oligui, a former military officer and commander of the Republican Guard, was inaugurated on 3 May 2025 following a landslide victory in the April presidential election, where he secured 90.35% of the vote.

His rise to power began in August 2023, when he led a military takeover just hours after election authorities declared Bongo the winner of a disputed third term. Oligui justified the coup by citing widespread discontent over alleged electoral fraud, constitutional violations, and Bongo’s declining health following a 2018 stroke. The military junta, the Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions (CTRI), swiftly appointed Oligui as interim leader.

During his transitional rule, Oligui pledged reforms, including a new constitution, electoral reforms, and the release of political prisoners, though critics questioned his commitment to democracy. In a symbolic move, he renounced his presidential salary, opting to live on his military wages instead.

Despite initial promises of a fair election, his Rally of Builders party dominated the 2025 polls, with opposition groups decrying the lack of transparency. His victory extends the political dominance of the Bongo family, which has ruled Gabon since 1967—first under Omar Bongo, then Ali Bongo, and now Oligui, a cousin of the deposed leader.

A New Era of Resource Nationalism in Africa

Gabon’s move reflects a growing trend of resource nationalism across Africa, where governments are increasingly asserting control over natural resources to maximize local benefits. Critics argue that decades of foreign exploitation have left African nations with environmental degradation, illicit financial flows, and minimal economic gains.

With this policy, Gabon joins other African nations in renegotiating mining contracts, enforcing local content laws, and promoting industrialization. The success of this initiative will depend on effective implementation, investor cooperation, and sustained political will.

As Gabon embarks on this transformative journey, the world will be watching to see if this bold strategy can break the “resource curse” and deliver tangible prosperity for its people.