SONOCO, a Guinean industrial group, is set to transform Gabon’s poultry sector by launching a major investment project aimed at slashing the country’s heavy reliance on imported chicken. During a high-level meeting with Gabon’s transitional leader, Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, the conglomerate unveiled plans to produce over 15 million chickens annually—a volume that would dwarf current local output and redefine the nation’s food security landscape.
The initiative aligns with Gabon’s economic diversification agenda, which prioritizes reducing food import bills and boosting rural employment. Currently, the country imports nearly all its poultry, a dependence that has long undermined food sovereignty and strained public finances. By shifting production locally, SONOCO aims to stabilize supply chains and make affordable protein accessible to Gabonese consumers.
From farm to fork: a fully integrated poultry ecosystem
The project’s cornerstone is its end-to-end integration, covering every stage from hatcheries to retail shelves. This includes state-of-the-art poultry farms, a dedicated feed mill to produce animal nutrition locally, and processing plants meeting international food safety standards. The vertical integration strategy will help SONOCO cut costs, ensure consistent quality, and compete directly with frozen imports from countries like Brazil and the United States.
For Gabon—where poultry farming remains underdeveloped—this industrial leap could mark a turning point in its agro-industrial evolution. SONOCO’s continental experience in West and Central Africa positions it as a credible partner to drive this transformation. The authorities have highlighted the project as a model of South-South collaboration, strengthening ties between Guinea and Gabon.
Cutting imports and creating jobs: the dual impact
For Gabon’s leadership, the stakes go beyond poultry. The nation’s trade balance suffers from chronic food import deficits, despite vast arable land and favorable farming conditions. Reducing this reliance has been a key policy goal under President Oligui Nguema’s administration. SONOCO’s venture could significantly curb foreign exchange outflows linked to poultry imports while generating thousands of jobs—both directly in poultry farming and indirectly in feed production, logistics, and retail.
Yet, success hinges on overcoming longstanding hurdles: securing land rights, sourcing feed ingredients, ensuring regulatory stability, and optimizing distribution networks. The group’s ability to navigate these challenges will determine whether the project meets its ambitious targets.
A strategic push for African investment
Beyond SONOCO, Gabon’s leadership is actively courting African investors to spur productive sectors, signaling a shift toward deeper continental integration. The decision to engage a Guinean firm at the presidential level underscores this new priority, favoring African partners over traditional Western or Asian investors.
While specifics like funding amounts and deployment timelines remain undisclosed, next steps likely include framework agreements, site selection, and financial mobilization. For Gabon’s government, translating this pledge into tangible industrial progress will be the ultimate measure of success.
