Gabon: Gabon and France Deepen Industrial Cooperation With Eramet Manganese Deal

What the report says

AllAfrica, carrying a Radio France Internationale report dated 22 July 2026, says French mining company Eramet has signed a memorandum of understanding with Gabon’s government to study a major expansion of local manganese processing. The agreement was announced during President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema’s state visit to France and sets out a roadmap under which Eramet would assess investments that could allow as much as 700,000 tonnes of manganese ore to be processed in Gabon annually by 2031.

According to the report, Gabon would need to help make the projects commercially viable, including by ensuring dependable energy supply. The initiative fits Libreville’s wider plan to capture more value from its mineral resources rather than exporting mostly raw ore. Gabon, a leading manganese producer, has said it wants to stop exports of unprocessed manganese by 2029, though France has urged more flexibility on that schedule. The issue was discussed in Paris by Oligui Nguema and French President Emmanuel Macron.

RFI reports that Eramet is weighing three options: a manganese oxide plant near Libreville by late 2028, an upgrade of the Moanda metallurgical complex by late 2029, or a new coastal manganese alloy plant that could produce 265,000 tonnes a year from 2031. The memorandum also refers to biochar development and an industrial seed fund for Gabon-made products.

The industrial plans are tied to upgrades of the Transgabonais railway, which links the Moanda mining area to the Owendo port near Libreville. During the visit, railway operator Setrag signed a €312 million financing deal with Proparco and the International Finance Corporation for further modernisation, aimed at improving transport capacity and reliability.