Gabon will stop exporting raw manganese starting January 1, 2029, as part of a sweeping national plan to industrialize and strengthen its economy, President Brice Oligui Nguema announced in a government statement released Saturday.
Manganese, a key component in the production of stainless steel and electric batteries, is one of Gabon’s top export earners alongside oil and timber. The Central African country is currently the world’s second-largest producer of the mineral.
President Oligui, who came to power after ending the decades-long Bongo family rule and recently secured a landslide election win in April, said the move is aimed at transforming Gabon’s economy. His plan focuses on adding value to raw materials through domestic processing, strengthening local expertise, building technological capacity, and boosting tax revenues.
Addressing the council of ministers on Friday, Oligui stated that the sector has a three-year window to make the necessary investments to comply with the export ban. He also announced the creation of a public-private investment fund to support the shift toward local manganese processing.
Additionally, the government has decided to ban the importation of chicken meat beginning January 1, 2027, as part of broader efforts to encourage local agricultural production.
Despite being one of Africa’s wealthiest nations in terms of natural resources, Gabon continues to grapple with inequality—about one-third of its population lives in poverty, and 10 percent face food insecurity.
