This article examines a major policy shift by the Gabonese government to ban raw manganese ore exports from 2029, a move aimed at encouraging local processing and industrialisation rather than exporting unprocessed raw materials. Gabon, one of Africa’s major manganese producers, expects this strategy to create skilled jobs, boost tax revenue, and develop a stronger domestic industrial base. The transition includes a three-year implementation window for the mining sector to adjust, supported by a public-private investment fund. Mining companies operating in Gabon, such as Eramet’s subsidiary Comilog, will be affected and must increase local refining capacity to stay aligned with the new rule. This trend mirrors similar policies in other African countries like Guinea (bauxite), Zimbabwe (lithium), and Tanzania (gold), reflecting a broader continental ambition to move from resource dependence toward value addition and industrial capability. The move recognises that retaining more value domestically through beneficiation can be a key driver for structural transformation — a core theme CAMVaC emphasises in its sovereign diagnostic frameworks.