Gabon’s mining minister has made it clear that energy shortages will not be accepted as an excuse for missing the country’s 2029 deadline to stop exporting raw manganese, brushing aside industry warnings that limited power supply could slow the construction of refining facilities.
Speaking on Wednesday on the sidelines of the Mining Indaba conference in Cape Town, Mining Minister Sosthene Nguema Nguema said Gabon would not soften its stance on the policy, which was introduced last year as part of efforts to diversify the economy after decades of exporting unprocessed ore, according to Reuters.
Gabon is the world’s second-largest producer of manganese, a key input in steelmaking and an increasingly important material for electric vehicle batteries.
Like several other African countries, it is pushing to capture more value from its mineral resources by developing local processing capacity rather than exporting raw materials.
Power shortages are common in the Central African country and have long been cited as a major obstacle to energy-intensive industrial development.
Mining companies operating in Gabon, including France’s Eramet, have said they are willing to work with the government on the new refining requirements but have repeatedly flagged electricity constraints as a challenge.
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Nguema dismissed those concerns, arguing that new technologies have already shown that power limitations should no longer be a barrier. “Energy is a false debate,” he said.
“Some operators have already demonstrated processes that reduce energy use by 40 to 60%. So we do not expect energy to be a reason for anyone not to comply in 2029.”
According to official data, Gabon exported 9.4 million metric tons of manganese in 2024, a decline of 5.3% from the previous year, with most of those exports still shipped in raw form.
Nguema said all manganese producers would be required to submit detailed implementation timelines and demonstrate clear, measurable progress toward meeting the refining requirement.
“We are providing the administrative support companies need, but the responsibility to meet the deadline is theirs,” he said, stressing again that the 2029 timeline is non-negotiable.
He also said internal management issues at Eramet, which controls Comilog, the operator of the world’s largest manganese mine in Moanda, would not be considered a valid reason for delay. “Eramet must comply like everyone else,” Nguema said.
Eramet said in an emailed statement that its February 1 decision to dismiss its chief executive did not change the group’s overall strategy and was unrelated to its operations in Gabon. The company declined to comment further.
Beyond manganese, Nguema said Gabon expects two new iron ore projects, the Milingui and Baniaka mines, to begin operations this year as part of a broader push to expand the mining sector.
He warned that companies failing to move from promises to actual construction or production would lose their licences. “Those who promise to open mines in 2026 and have not kept their word by 31 December will be told to leave the country,” he said.
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Image Credit: TalentPEO Africa
