WATCH | Sadio Mané puts $20m into mango factory in his Senegal hometown

Sadio Mané

Bambali – Senegalese football star Sadio Mané has invested 11.7 billion CFA francs, about $20 million, of his own money in a major agro-industrial project in his hometown of Bambali.

The SM10 Agro project, launched on 19 September, will cover about 500 hectares and include mango orchards, processing facilities, a training centre and research operations. Construction is expected to take about 18 months.

Billionaires.Africa reported that the project is expected to process about 8,500 tonnes of produce annually and create more than 1,000 direct jobs when it starts operating.

Senegal’s state news agency, APS, confirmed that the foundation stone was laid in Bambali, in the Sédhiou region, with the project backed by Mané through his SM10 Agro subsidiary.

The agency reported that the investment is expected to create 1,000 direct jobs initially, with a longer-term target of 2,500 jobs.

Turning mangoes into value

The project is designed to address losses in the region’s mango industry, with Mané saying that between 30% and 40% of Sédhiou’s mango production is lost because of inadequate storage and processing facilities.

“I want the fruits of the land to stay here,” Mané said.

The planned facilities will process mangoes into products including pulp, purée, dried mango and mango butter, with some production intended for domestic and export markets. BBC News Afrique reported that the project will include about 78,000 mango trees, with the first harvest expected in roughly three years.

According to APS, the plantation will cover 500 hectares and the project will also establish a training centre aimed at developing agricultural skills among young people in the region. Mané said: “I want the young people and women of my region to have real opportunities for training.”

From philanthropy to business

The investment marks a new phase in Mané’s involvement in Bambali. He has previously financed community projects including a mosque, school, hospital and petrol station, while also investing in a bakery.

The footballer is now seeking to move beyond charitable projects by creating a local production and employment base around agriculture.

Bloomberg also reported on the $20 million investment, highlighting Mané’s decision to put his own money into Senegal’s mango industry.

The project is being developed in partnership with Senegal’s investment promotion agency, APIX. Its officials have said the initiative is intended to build a more integrated local agricultural value chain, from production and processing to marketing.

The SM10 Agro project is therefore positioned as both a commercial investment and a local industrial development initiative, with its focus on reducing post-harvest losses while creating jobs and processing more of the region’s agricultural output locally.

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