Industry & Mining

Industrial activity in Gabon is still at an early stage, with the limited size of the local market and high costs of industrial activities posing major challenges to the development of the sector – indeed, industry accounted for just 7.7% of GDP in 2011. However, major strides have been made in recent years to promote investment and development in industry, including the Industrial Gabon programme, which aims to promote the local processing of raw materials into high-value-added exports. New special economic zones and public-private partnerships, as well as projects to increase palm oil, rubber and fertiliser production, are expected to contribute to the growth of the sector. The government is also eager to increase mining’s contribution to GDP. With production of manganese having reached record levels in 2011, accounting for 14% of global exports, and a number of investors expressing interest in the sector, mining revenues are expected to increase. This chapter contains interviews with Régis Immongault Tatagani, Minister of Industry and Mining; and Fabrice Nze-Bekale, CEO, Société Equatoriale des Mines.