On May 20, 2026, a significant investment agreement was finalized at the Palais Rénovation in Libreville. Anas Sefrioui, Chairman and CEO of Ciments de l’Afrique (CIMAF), and Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, Gabon’s transitional president, sealed a deal worth 40 million euros. This substantial financial commitment is earmarked for the comprehensive modernization of the Owendo plant and the integration of a third production line. This expansion is crucial for addressing the rapidly escalating local demand for construction materials, a surge fueled by the nation’s ambitious large-scale infrastructure projects.

Beyond the industrial implications, this strategic operation signifies a pivotal shift in the company’s governance. The Gabonese government has expressed its clear intention to elevate its equity stake in the local subsidiary to 20%. This move follows an initial acquisition of 10% capital in December 2025. For Libreville, this increased shareholding aims to secure direct oversight and aligns with the broader economic doctrine implemented since August 2023, which seeks to transform significant foreign investments into national co-ownerships.

From CIMAF’s perspective, this strengthened partnership coincides with the culmination of its global strategic reorientation. The group led by Anas Sefrioui is systematically disengaging from the European market, a trend underscored by the simultaneous announcement of the divestiture of its final cement plant in France. Facing a European market perceived as mature and subject to intense pressures, the Moroccan cement giant is strategically redirecting its capital towards the African continent, where the demand for urbanization and fundamental infrastructure—including roads, bridges, and housing—remains immense.

This transaction also highlights an evolution in Morocco’s economic influence. Traditionally more concentrated in West Africa, major Moroccan private operators are now deliberately structuring their presence in Central Africa within key industrial sectors. For Gabon, an economy historically reliant on oil revenues, this public-private alliance serves as a crucial testing ground for a new model of industrial diversification, effectively combining Moroccan private capital, Gabonese public oversight, and broader regional economic integration.