LIBREVILLE : Gabon is officially cutting off the unchecked pipeline of raw commodity exports to the West and Asia. Under a strict new industrial mandate orchestrated by Sosthène Nguema Nguema, the Minister of Mines and Geological Resources, the Central African nation is aggressively reshaping its economy. The strategic directive is clear: global markets will no longer be allowed to extract Gabon's underground wealth without building factories, processing plants, and jobs inside the country.For a nation historically anchored by volatile crude oil revenues, this shift toward advanced domestic mineral manufacturing marks a massive structural evolution. The ultimate goal is to scale mining's contribution to the national GDP from a modest 6% to a commanding 25% by 2030.
Redefining the Rules: The 2029 Raw Ore Ban
The cornerstone of Gabon's new economic leverage is a hard deadline on primary commodities: a total ban on raw manganese ore exports by 2029.By legally requiring that minerals undergo primary and secondary refining before crossing Gabonese borders, the government is systematically capturing higher industrial margins. This aggressive localization strategy is projected to shield the domestic economy from international price shocks while building a robust, high-skill industrial workforce. To drive this commercial push, the state-backed Société Équatoriale des Mines (SEM) has been handed a clear USD 1 billion revenue target to hit under the new processing guidelines.
Expanding the Multi-Commodity Grid
Gabon’s mineral offensive is moving simultaneously across three distinct high-yield frontiers:* The Gold Standard: The state is actively cleaning up illicit, informal gold corridors in resource-rich areas like Koumba, Eteke, and Minkébé. All domestic gold production is being funneled into the newly optimized Raffinerie Gabonaise d’Or (RGO) in the Nkok Special Economic Zone, which boasts a 10-tonne refining capacity designed to secure sovereign bullion reserves.* Iron & Manganese Giants: Industrial scaling is accelerating at the world-class Belinga and Baniaka asset hubs to establish long-term, multi-commodity trade loops.* The Nyanga Marble Hub: Diversification is stretching into premium industrial materials, with the specialized Milingui marble processing plant in the Nyanga province slated to go fully operational by the end of 2026.
Frictionless Regulating for Blue-Chip Capital
Minister Sosthène Nguema Nguema is deploying his extensive engineering background to eliminate the bureaucratic bottlenecks that historically stalled major infrastructure investments.The ministry is actively fast-tracking crucial operational decrees to clarify the 2019 Mining Code, successfully slashing the administrative lead times required for international exploration and commercial permits.This potent mix of regulatory speed and massive processing infrastructure forms the core of Gabon’s upcoming presentation at the 8th African Emirati Business Summit (AEBS 2026) in Dubai, taking place from November 20 to 27, 2026. As a headline special guest, Sosthène Nguema Nguema will not merely be pitching untapped geological maps to UAE investors—he will be presenting a fully realized blueprint for modern African resource sovereignty.