Gabon welcomes SONOCO’s agroindustrial expansion for food sovereignty

Libreville – Gabon is taking a decisive step toward economic transformation as President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema meets a high-level delegation from Guinean conglomerate SONOCO, led by its CEO Abdoul Karim Diallo. The encounter translates into concrete action an ambition first voiced at the Kigali Forum: building a new development model rooted in productive sovereignty, intra-African cooperation, and continental wealth creation.

Far from a routine diplomatic exchange, the meeting signals a tangible response to Gabon’s call for African investors to support its economic repositioning. SONOCO, one of West Africa’s largest private groups, is sending a strong message of confidence in Gabon’s accelerating diversification strategy.

Food sovereignty offensive

The choice of the agroindustrial sector is strategic. Food security remains a critical challenge across Africa. Despite vast agricultural potential, many nations still rely heavily on imports. Gabon is no exception, importing a significant share of its poultry products, straining the trade balance. SONOCO’s project aims to change that. The vision goes beyond setting up production units: the group plans to replicate a proven integrated model already successful in several African countries, controlling the entire value chain.

The plan includes local production of plant-based raw materials for animal feed, a modern feed manufacturing plant, hatcheries, pullet farms, laying hen operations, broiler sites, and an international-standard slaughterhouse.

Large-scale industrial poultry sector

This integrated approach addresses a common weakness in African agriculture: fragmentation. By managing every stage, SONOCO aims to boost economic efficiency and strengthen the sector’s resilience. The announced targets are ambitious: annual production exceeding 15 million broiler chickens could make Gabon self-sufficient in poultry and drastically cut imports. For a country still importing much of its food, the stakes are high.

The impact goes beyond food. In Guinea, SONOCO’s poultry chain already supports nearly 4,000 jobs. In Gabon, the project should create thousands of direct and indirect jobs in agriculture, livestock, industrial processing, transport, logistics, and services. This aligns perfectly with Gabon’s economic vision: moving from resource extraction to local transformation, adding value, and building a sustainable industrial base.

A symbol of Africa investing in Africa

The partnership also carries geopolitical weight. As African states push to boost intra-African trade, cooperation between Libreville and Conakry exemplifies a new paradigm: Africa investing in Africa, sharing know-how, and building its own value chains. Administrative and land procedures are now underway with relevant ministries, and initial infrastructure should become operational in the coming months. If the timeline holds, SONOCO’s project could become one of the most visible symbols of Gabon’s new economic policy.

In a global context marked by food uncertainties, supply chain pressures, and the need to strengthen local production, this initiative transcends Gabonese borders. It reflects a growing continental conviction: Africa’s economic sovereignty depends not only on mines and infrastructure but also on its ability to durably feed its people. The Gabon-SONOCO partnership embodies that trajectory and may become a benchmark for South-South cooperation driving African economic transformation.