The Gabonese extractive industry is on the brink of a long-awaited transformation. During a high-profile signing ceremony in Paris, the Gabonese government and Eramet, along with its subsidiary Eramet Comilog, formalized a landmark agreement to increase local processing of Gabonese manganese. The ambitious goal? To ramp up the country’s processing capacity to 700,000 tonnes annually by 2031. The event, held on July 20 at the Élysée Palace, brought together Gabonese transitional president Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema and senior executives from the French mining giant, underscoring the significance of a deal negotiated at the highest levels.
Industrial commitment secured after years of pressure
Since the military-led transition took power in August 2023, Gabonese authorities have consistently pushed for greater domestic value addition from mineral resources. Despite being the world’s second-largest manganese producer, Gabon currently exports most of its output as raw ore, allowing foreign industries to capture the added value. The Paris agreement marks a paradigm shift, even if it remains a non-binding framework for now.
For Eramet, which has operated in Gabon for over six decades through Comilog, this pledge represents a response to years of criticism from Libreville. The French mining group, listed on the CAC 40, derives a substantial portion of its earnings from Gabonese operations in Moanda, Haut-Ogooué province. Achieving the 700,000-tonne target will require expanding existing metallurgical units and constructing new industrial facilities to handle the increased volume.
Mining sovereignty drives Gabon’s economic agenda
Gabon’s transitional leadership has made reclaiming mineral value addition a cornerstone of its economic policy. Manganese, a critical raw material for global steelmaking and increasingly vital for lithium-ion batteries, sits at the heart of this strategy. Processing ore locally promises higher tax revenues, skilled job creation, and positioning Gabon in higher-value market segments.
The 2031 deadline provides Eramet with a phased investment roadmap, but it also sets a clear political milestone: the Transition aims to deliver tangible results before the decade’s end. Translating this protocol into firm financial commitments, feasibility studies, and investment decisions remains the next hurdle—no total investment figure has been disclosed yet.
The agreement coincides with a warming diplomatic climate between Libreville and Paris. During his visit to France, President Oligui Nguema reinforced bilateral ties, marking a year since post-coup normalization efforts began. His presence at the signing ceremony underscored the deal’s political weight beyond its industrial implications.
A model for Gabon’s local content strategy
Beyond Eramet, this accord sets a precedent that could shape future negotiations with other mining operators in Gabon. Authorities may leverage this template to renegotiate terms for other minerals, from iron ore to rare earths. The government’s ability to enforce the 2031 timeline will serve as a litmus test for its broader mineral sovereignty doctrine.
For Eramet, the deal could secure long-term operational stability in Gabon, including permit renewals, at a time when the group faces challenges in Argentina and Indonesia. Successfully localizing manganese processing could also enhance its environmental, social, and governance (ESG) profile, appealing to European investors increasingly scrutinizing such criteria.
Yet energy remains a critical question. Processing 700,000 tonnes of ore demands significant electricity, and Gabon’s infrastructure gaps pose a real challenge. A coherent energy strategy will be essential to avoid the 2031 target becoming an empty promise. The ceremony, attended by top officials from both nations, highlighted the deal’s far-reaching significance.
