Guinea-based conglomerate SONOCO is set to revolutionize Gabon’s poultry sector with a bold investment plan aimed at reducing the country’s reliance on imported chicken. During a high-profile meeting with Gabon’s transitional leader Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, the panafrican group outlined its vision for an integrated poultry production chain that could produce over 15 million chickens annually—a scale never before seen in Gabon.

This initiative aligns with the government’s broader economic diversification strategy, which prioritizes food security and rural employment. Currently, Gabon imports most of its poultry, a dependency that officials argue undermines national food sovereignty and drains foreign exchange reserves.

A fully integrated poultry value chain

The SONOCO project is designed as a vertically integrated system spanning breeding, feed production, processing, and distribution. By controlling every stage of the supply chain, the group aims to cut costs, ensure steady supplies, and offer locally produced chicken at competitive prices—challenging the dominance of frozen imports from countries like Brazil, the U.S., and Europe.

The investment includes the construction of modern poultry farms, a local feed mill to produce compound feeds, and processing facilities meeting international sanitary standards. For Gabon, where the poultry sector remains underdeveloped, this industrial leap could reshape the country’s agro-food landscape for years to come.

SONOCO, already a major industrial player in West Africa, brings continental experience to Gabon. The group’s panafrican footprint and track record are key selling points for authorities who view the partnership as a model of South-South cooperation between Conakry and Libreville.

Boosting food security and cutting import bills

For Libreville, the stakes go beyond poultry. Gabon’s trade balance suffers from heavy food import bills, despite vast arable land and favorable agricultural conditions. Since taking office, President Oligui Nguema has made reducing this reliance a key priority.

A large-scale local poultry operation could significantly reduce spending on frozen meat imports. The project is also expected to generate direct and indirect jobs, particularly in rural areas where industrial poultry farming could provide stable employment for young workers.

However, turning this vision into reality will require overcoming structural hurdles. Land access, availability of animal feed ingredients, regulatory stability, and logistics are well-known challenges faced by poultry operators in Central Africa. The group’s ability to secure these elements will determine the project’s ultimate success.

A strategic signal to African investors

Beyond SONOCO, the high-level engagement reflects Gabon’s broader goal of attracting African capital into productive sectors. By prioritizing a Guinean group over Western or Asian investors, the government is signaling a stronger commitment to continental integration.

While the exact investment amount and timeline have not been disclosed, next steps likely involve framework agreements, site selection, and financing mobilization. For Gabonese authorities, the real test will be transforming this announcement into a functioning industrial reality.