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Gabon’s new Mining Minister Sosthène Nguema Nguema to prioritise High-Growth mining opportunities during Mining Indaba

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Nguema

Minister Nguema Nguema, an environmental engineer and former Minister of Oil and Gas is expected to bring a pragmatic approach to the sector with investor attraction a core focus

LIBREVILLE, Gabon, January 27, 2026/APO Group/ –Following his appointment by President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema on January 1, 2026, the newly appointed Minister of Mines and Geological Resources, Sosthène Nguema Nguema, has embarked on an aggressive pro-investment agenda designed to grow mining into a major engine of Gabon’s economic future.

 

The leadership transition comes at a pivotal moment. Armed with a higher budget for 2026 than previous years, a sign of President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema’s commitment to grow the sector, new minister is tasked with managing this increasingly strategic sector and to pivot the nation away from historical oil dependency toward a more diversified economy.

“Gabon is no longer just a destination for extraction; we are becoming a hub for industrial value creation,” stated Minister Sosthène Nguema Nguema. “Our 2026 roadmap is built on transparency, regulatory speed, and a firm commitment to local transformation and very strong value creation for investors as well as local communities. We are open for business, and we are ready to partner with those who share our vision for sustainable industrialization.”

A Sector in Transformation

Currently, mining contributes approximately 6% to Gabon’s GDP, dominated by its status as the world’s second-largest producer of high-grade manganese. However, the government’s Transformation Acceleration Plan (PAT) aims to increase this contribution to 25% by 2030.

Our 2026 roadmap is built on transparency, regulatory speed, and a firm commitment to local transformation and very strong value creation for investors as well as local communities

To achieve this, the Ministry is focusing on three priorities:

  • Manganese Value Addition: Advancing toward the 2029 raw ore export ban by incentivizing the domestic production of silicomanganese.
  • Iron Ore Scalability: Accelerating the world-class Belinga and Baniaka projects, supported by a massive upgrade to the Trans-Gabonese railway.
  • Gold Formalization: Prioritizing exploration and formalizing artisanal sectors in Koumba, Eteke, and Minkébé to ensure international traceability and refining standards.

 

To achive the above goals, the state-owned mining (holding company) Société Équatoriale des Mines (SEM) intends to affect a dramatic shift from its historical role as a passive state shareholder to an aggressive industrial operator, a key tenet of its 2026–2030 strategy. SEM will move from a “partner operator” into a “reference African industrial mining company.” Revenue targets are set reach USD 1 billion by 2030. SEM intends to achieve this target by focusing on

  • SEM-led exploration and industrial-scale extraction of primary gold. Gold mining hotspots such as Minkié and Mitzic are expected to play major roles.
  • Gold refining in country is also expected to grow significantly with the Gabonese Gold Refinery (RGO) which has a processing capacity of up to 10 tonnes of gold annually expected to play a central role. The refinery is strategically located in the Nkok Special Economic Zone near Libreville
  • Providing technical oversight for massive projects like Belinga (Iron) and ensuring downstream processing compliance
  • Increasing manganese processing and value creation in country
  • Lastly, accelerating exploration and data acquisition to commercialise the huge mining potential that Gabon offers Upgrading the Investor Operating Environment

Minister Nguema Nguema, an environmental engineer and former Minister of Oil and Gas is expected to bring a pragmatic approach to the sector with investor attraction a core focus. The ministry is expected to cut lead times for exploration and mining permits. Several ministerial decrees are also expected in coming weeks, that will clarify and ease the implementation of the existing 2019 Mining Code.

Mining Indaba

Minister Nguema Nguema will be at Indaba where he will be addressing investors in different fora. The Ministry of Mines and Geological Resources invites international investors, exploration firms, and infrastructure partners to reach out to the ministerial party to discuss potential opportunities in Gabon.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Mines and Geological Resources of Gabon.

Business

Canada–Africa Financing Forum to Convene Investors and Decision-Makers in Cape Town – May 14, 2026

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Ateau Zola

This timely Forum comes on the heels of commitments announced by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, deepening Canada–Africa commercial ties and expanding investment partnerships

TORONTO, Canada, April 29, 2026/APO Group/ –The Canada–Africa Chamber of Business (https://CanadaAfrica.ca) will convene investors, financiers, policymakers, and industry leaders in Cape Town on May 14, 2026 for the Canada–Africa Financing Forum—a high-level platform focused on unlocking capital and accelerating deal flow across African markets.

Registration is open (http://apo-opa.co/4vZN6oV)

This timely Forum comes on the heels of commitments announced by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, deepening Canada–Africa commercial ties and expanding investment partnerships. The program connects leaders from venture capital, private equity, and institutional investors to examine where capital is moving—and where the next opportunities lie—supported by Canadian project partners with proven capacity to deliver on-the-ground.

Delegates will engage directly with finance and investment decision-makers, following the program opening, featuring messages from President Cyril Ramaphosa and Prime Minister Mark Carney, in addition to high-level Ministerial representation.

This Forum is about capital deployment, not just conversation

“This Forum is about capital deployment, not just conversation,” said Garreth Bloor, President of the Canada–Africa Chamber of Business. “We are convening investors, institutions, and project leaders who are actively shaping transactions across Africa—and connecting them directly with Canadian partners who are ready to work together.”

The Canada–Africa Financing Forum reflects the Chamber’s role as a privately financed, market-led platform advancing Canada-Africa trade and investment through world-class networking and information-sharing events.

Why Attend

  • Direct access to active dealmakers and capital allocators
  • Insights into where capital is being deployed and key players delivering major projects
  • Opportunities to build partnerships across Canada and African markets
  • Participation in a curated, high-level environment focused on execution

Secure Your Place

Space is limited and demand is strong.

Apply to secure your place (http://apo-opa.co/4vXb9oz)

Read More and View the Program (http://apo-opa.co/4vZN6oV)

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Canada-Africa Chamber of Business.

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ORUN and 1xBET Partner to Support a Dynamic Creative Africa

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MIR Holding

During the MASA 2026 edition, held from April 11 to 18, 2026, ORUN and 1xBET implemented the We Champion Talent program, an initiative aimed at promoting African talent and advancing the development of Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs)

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, April 28, 2026/APO Group/ –As part of the Innovation Village co-organized with MASA at the Palais de la Culture in Abidjan from April 14 to 18, ORUN (https://ORUN.Africa) announces the rollout of its partnership with 1xBET to support a creative Africa that is structuring itself, professionalizing, and scaling across the continent.

We aim to demonstrate that it is possible to support African talent, narratives, and creative ecosystems over the long term, with ambition and consistency

Designed as a space of convergence between heritage, innovation, and knowledge transmission, the Innovation Village features scenography crafted by Ivorian artisans, a program of panels and masterclasses on creative industries, an immersive experience produced by Orun Studios, and a major institutional highlight on April 17. Its narrative platform is built around three pillars: memory, structure, and transmission. The initiative aims to position cultural and creative industries as an economic driver for the continent.

“The Innovation Village was conceived as an act of construction. By partnering with organizations such as 1xBET, we aim to demonstrate that it is possible to support African talent, narratives, and creative ecosystems over the long term, with ambition and consistency,” said Habyba Thiero, CEO of Africa Currency Network and President of ORUN.

This vision aligns with ORUN’s broader ambition to produce, structure, and internationalize African creative industries through events, content, and strategic partnerships.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of ORUN, part of African Currency Network (ACN).

 

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MIR Holding Reaffirms Its Commitment to African Creative Industries Alongside ORUN at Marché des Arts du Spectacle Africain d’Abidjan (MASA) 2026

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MIR Holding

More than event support, this partnership reflects a commitment to backing platforms capable of structuring value chains, increasing the visibility of talent, and fostering the emergence of strong African creative infrastructures

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, April 28, 2026/APO Group/ –On the occasion of MASA 2026, held from April 11 to 18 in Abidjan, MIR Holding (https://MIRHolding.odoo.com) reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the growth of African creative industries by partnering with ORUN as part of the Innovation Village, hosted at the Palais de la Culture in Abidjan. This presence reflects a clear intention to support the scaling of cultural and creative industries so they can fully contribute to job creation and value generation across the continent.

 

Co-organized by ORUN and MASA, the Innovation Village brought together over several days scenography designed by Ivorian artisans, a program of panels and masterclasses dedicated to creative industries, an immersive experience produced by Orun Studios, and a key institutional highlight on April 17.

At MIR Holding, we believe that Africa’s future will also be shaped by its ability to structure its narratives, its talent, and its creative value chains

Built around three pillars — memory, structure, and transmission — the initiative carried a renewed ambition for culture: positioning it as a concrete lever for economic structuring and African projection.

By supporting this initiative, MIR Holding aligns with a broader dynamic aimed at strengthening connections between creation, entrepreneurship, content, youth, and growth ecosystems. More than event support, this partnership reflects a commitment to backing platforms capable of structuring value chains, increasing the visibility of talent, and fostering the emergence of strong African creative infrastructures. MIR Holding stands among the main partners of the Village, alongside Africa Currency Network and other stakeholders engaged in this vision.

“With ORUN, we are not only seeking to make culture visible. We aim to help provide it with a framework, a reach, and a trajectory. What is at stake here is the continent’s ability to better transform its creative energy into sustainable value, real opportunities, and influence,” said Habyba Thiero, CEO of Africa Currency Network and President of ORUN.

Mouhamed Dieng, President of MIR Holding, added: “Supporting Africa’s creative industries is not about backing a secondary sector. It is about investing in one of the continent’s most powerful spaces for storytelling, youth, innovation, and competitiveness. At MIR Holding, we believe that Africa’s future will also be shaped by its ability to structure its narratives, its talent, and its creative value chains.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of MIR Holding.

 

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