Libreville, Saturday 27 June 2026 – Shortly after presenting his credentials to President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, Chad’s new ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to Gabon, Zakaria Fadoul Kittir Jr., made a point of visiting one of the most striking symbols of Gabon’s economic transformation.
The diplomat toured the Nkok Special Investment Zone on Thursday, an industrial laboratory that over the years has become a continental benchmark for local resource valorisation.
This visit, undertaken in the very first days of his diplomatic mission, goes well beyond protocol. It reflects the growing interest among several African states — which face similar challenges of economic diversification, industrial transformation and value addition from their raw materials — in the Gabonese model.
Timber as an industrial showcase
At the heart of the visit was the timber sector, a flagship of Gabon’s economic strategy. The Chadian diplomat visited the facilities of Chanta Group, a company specialised in producing plywood and veneer sheets, supplying both African and international markets.
This immersion allowed the Chadian delegation to see firsthand the results of a policy pursued by Gabonese authorities for several years. Once a raw log exporter, Gabon gradually enforced local processing to retain a larger share of wealth from its forest resources.
The outcome is visible at Nkok today. Dozens of industrial units process timber on site, create skilled jobs, foster skills transfer, and develop an industrial fabric meeting international standards. For many African observers, this evolution represents one of the continent’s most accomplished experiences in resource-based industrialisation.
A showcase for economic diversification
But the Nkok ZIS is not limited to forestry. As an integrated industrial platform, it hosts companies in fields as varied as metallurgy, construction materials, agro-industry and manufacturing transformation.
This concentration of activities makes the zone a strategic lever for Gabon’s economic diversification policy. In a global context marked by commodity market uncertainties, developing local industries is now seen as essential to reduce dependence on raw exports.
The interest shown by the Chadian representative illustrates a broader trend. More and more African countries seek to draw inspiration from experiences that allow them to transform resources locally, develop national value chains and strengthen economic sovereignty.
A tool of influence for Gabon
Beyond its industrial performance, Nkok is steadily becoming an instrument of economic and diplomatic influence for Gabon. Each official visit reinforces its status as a showcase of national know-how and a platform attracting international investors.
For Libreville, this recognition is particularly significant. It validates the strategy pursued by authorities to turn the country into a regional industrial pole capable of attracting capital, technology and strategic partnerships.
The visit of the new Chadian ambassador comes at a time when African economic cooperation is taking on increasing importance. Exchanges between states are no longer limited to raw materials but increasingly focus on industrial models, transformation experiences and value creation strategies.
By drawing the attention of diplomats, investors and decision-makers across the continent, the Nkok Special Investment Zone confirms that it is no longer just a Gabonese project. It is gradually becoming an African reference in the debate on industrialisation, local processing and the construction of new development pathways.
