Libreville — For decades, African nations have exported vast mineral wealth only to watch their mining regions remain underdeveloped, lacking basic infrastructure and essential public services. Gabon is now breaking from this pattern by converting a portion of its mining revenue into direct local investment.

Under a revised agreement with Comilog, the world’s leading high-grade manganese producer and a subsidiary of France’s Eramet Group, 20% of proportional mining royalties are now channeled into the Local Communities Development Fund. An additional share, derived from quarry extraction taxes, further boosts funding for mining-affected territories.

This shift marks a fundamental change in Gabon’s mining strategy. Instead of merely maximizing fiscal revenue or export volumes, the country is leveraging its natural resources to foster territorial cohesion and human development.

Breaking the resource curse

The paradox of mineral-rich regions lagging in development has long plagued African economies. Gabon, the world’s second-largest manganese producer, has not been immune to this challenge.

Mining zones have historically borne the environmental and social costs of extraction while seeing little visible return. The 2019 Mining Code reform and the 2020 addendum with Comilog represent a decisive break. For the first time, a fixed share of mining earnings is automatically allocated to affected communities—outside national budget negotiations.

This model aligns Gabon with progressive mining frameworks seen in countries like Botswana and Canada, where social acceptance of mining hinges on equitable benefit-sharing.

A shared governance approach

The mechanism 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 implementation. This structure ensures that investments reflect local needs rather than being dictated from distant capitals.

Funds are directed toward critical public infrastructure, healthcare facilities, schools, water access, local economic initiatives, and job creation. Early results are already visible.

By 2025, Comilog reports that 26 community projects had been completed, totaling nearly 8.5 billion CFA francs in investments and benefiting approximately 240,000 people in mining regions. In a country of fewer than three million inhabitants, these figures underscore the initiative’s transformative potential.

Pioneering a new African mining contract

The stakes extend far beyond Gabon’s borders. Global demand for strategic minerals is surging, driven by the energy transition, electric mobility, and digital innovation. Manganese, vital for battery production and industrial technologies, is at the heart of this demand.

Central Africa holds a significant share of the world’s reserves for these critical minerals. The real question is no longer how much will be exported, but how much of that wealth will remain to fund education, healthcare, infrastructure, and economic diversification.

Comilog has pledged to support this transition by investing in local entrepreneurship, vocational training, and income-generating activities, gradually reducing communities’ dependence on extractive industries alone.

If sustained, Gabon’s approach could position the country as a leading African example of a new mining contract—one where the legitimacy of large-scale mining is measured not only by export volumes or dividends, but by the schools built, businesses launched, jobs created, and opportunities offered to future generations.