Gabon and France deepen industrial cooperation with Eramet manganese deal

The Eramet group announced on Monday that it had signed a memorandum of understanding with the Gabonese government during President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema's state visit to France.

The agreement sets out a joint industrial roadmap under which Eramet would examine investments allowing up to 700,000 tonnes of manganese ore to be processed locally each year by 2031.

In return, Gabon has undertaken to provide the conditions needed to make the projects economically viable, including reliable access to energy.

The memorandum marks an important step in Gabon's drive to retain more of the value generated by its mineral wealth. The country is one of the world's leading manganese producers and has made local processing a central part of its industrial strategy.

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Libreville has said it wants to halt exports of unprocessed manganese ore by 2029, although France has called for greater flexibility over a timetable it regards as particularly demanding.

The plans were among the main issues discussed during talks in Paris between Oligui Nguema and French President Emmanuel Macron. The two leaders also reviewed progress on agreements reached during Macron's visit to Libreville in November 2025.

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Three industrial options 

Eramet said a decision had yet to be made between three possible industrial projects, each of which will now be subjected to a detailed feasibility study.

The first option would involve building a manganese oxide production plant in the Libreville region, with operations beginning by the end of 2028 at the latest.

Manganese oxide is used in high-performance steel and is also becoming increasingly important in some battery technologies, making it a potentially valuable product for Gabon as global demand for strategic minerals grows.

A second scenario would focus on modernising the metallurgical complex in Moanda, in south-eastern Gabon. The facility is currently the only operational manganese-processing site in Gabon and Central Africa.

Under that option, the upgraded complex would be expected to enter service by the end of 2029.

The third and most ambitious possibility would be the construction of a new manganese alloy plant near the Atlantic coast, serving the international steel industry.

Eramet said the facility could produce 265,000 tonnes of manganese alloys a year and would require the processing of around 530,000 tonnes of ore annually. It could begin operating in 2031.

The memorandum also covers the development of biochar production and the creation of an industrial seed fund intended to support products manufactured in Gabon.

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For the Gabonese authorities, the proposed investments offer an opportunity to create more industrial activity and employment around a resource that has traditionally been exported with relatively little processing.

The move is also likely to deepen Eramet's already significant role in the Gabonese economy. The French group operates in the country through Comilog, one of the world's largest producers of high-grade manganese ore.

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Mining ambitions

The industrial plans are closely linked to efforts to improve the Transgabonais railway, which carries manganese from the mining centre of Moanda to the port of Owendo, near Libreville.

The railway stretches for around 650 kilometres between Owendo on the Atlantic coast and Franceville in eastern Gabon, providing a vital transport link for both the mining sector and communities in the country's interior.

Christian Magni, managing director of railway operator Setrag, described the memorandum as a “decisive” step that would support the continued consolidation and full modernisation of the rail network.

During Oligui Nguema's visit, Setrag also signed a €312 million financing agreement with Proparco and the International Finance Corporation for the next phase of the railway modernisation programme.

Proparco is the private-sector financing arm of the French Development Agency, while the IFC is part of the World Bank Group.

The investment is expected to help improve the reliability and capacity of the railway, facilitating the transport of manganese while strengthening connections between the coast and the country's eastern regions.

The agreements underline the broader economic focus of Oligui Nguema's visit to France, as Gabon seeks international investment while pushing for a larger share of its natural resources to be processed domestically.

(With newswires)