Libreville, July 16, 2026 — For decades, Africa’s mineral wealth has flowed abroad while local communities near mines grapple with crumbling infrastructure, weak public services, and a deep sense of economic exclusion. Gabon is now breaking from this pattern by channeling a portion of its mining revenues directly into community development.

Under a revised agreement between the Gabonese government and Compagnie minière de l’Ogooué—a subsidiary of the French group Eramet and the world’s leading producer of high-grade manganese—20% of proportional mining royalties are now allocated to the Local Communities Development Fund. An additional share from the extraction tax on quarries operated by Comilog further boosts this fund for mining regions.

This shift marks a fundamental change in Gabon’s mining doctrine. The focus is no longer solely on tax revenue or export volumes, but on harnessing natural resources to drive territorial cohesion and human development.

Breaking the resource curse

For generations, African economies rich in minerals have struggled to translate resource wealth into local prosperity. Despite being the world’s second-largest manganese producer, Gabon’s mining regions have long borne the brunt of environmental and social costs without seeing proportional returns.

The overhaul of the Mining Code in 2019—and its reinforcement through a 2020 addendum with Comilog—represents a major turning point. For the first time, a portion of mining revenues is automatically directed to affected communities, bypassing national budget negotiations.

This model aligns Gabon with successful examples from Botswana to Canada, where mining industries gain social acceptance through fairer profit-sharing. It signals a new era where resource-rich regions are no longer left behind.

Shared governance for impactful change

The initiative operates through a tripartite governance structure involving the state, local authorities, and the mining operator. The Partnership Management Committee sets strategic priorities, while the Operational Management Committee oversees technical execution. This structure ensures investments are grounded in local realities rather than imposed from distant capitals.

Funding supports public infrastructure, healthcare facilities, schools, water access, local economic ventures, and job creation. Early results are promising. By 2025, Comilog reported 26 community projects completed, totaling 8.5 billion CFA francs in investments and benefiting approximately 240,000 people across mining basins—a significant impact in a country of fewer than three million inhabitants.

A model for Africa’s mining future

The stakes transcend Gabon’s borders. Global demand for critical minerals—fueled by energy transitions, electric mobility, and digital innovation—is surging. Manganese, essential for battery production, sits at the heart of this transformation.

Central Africa holds vast reserves of these strategic resources. The real challenge now is ensuring these minerals fuel education, healthcare, infrastructure, and economic diversification—not just export growth.

Comilog has pledged to support local entrepreneurship, vocational training, and income-generating activities to reduce dependence on extractive industries. If sustained, Gabon could emerge as a leading African example of a new social contract between mining, government, and citizens.

In the 21st century, the true measure of a mine’s success isn’t just tonnes exported or dividends paid—it’s the schools built, businesses launched, sustainable jobs created, and opportunities unlocked for future generations. Gabon’s journey offers a compelling blueprint for how resource wealth can be transformed into lasting prosperity.