Follow Us on Google
Senegal football star Sadio Mané has invested CFA11.7bn (about $20.4m) in a major agro-industrial project in his hometown of Bambali, with the venture expected to create more than 1,000 direct jobs and expand mango processing in the region.
The project, known as SM10 Agro, was officially launched on September 19 in Bambali, in Senegal’s Sédhiou Region. It is designed to turn the area’s large mango production into a bigger processing and commercial operation.
The project will include a mango-processing plant with an annual capacity of 8,500 tonnes, producing mango pulp, dried mango and mango butter. It will also feature a 500-hectare Kent mango plantation, while plans include facilities for agricultural training and research.
Mané said the investment was intended to ensure that more of the wealth generated from the region’s agricultural resources remains within Senegal, while creating opportunities for local residents.
“I don’t want to be remembered only for the goals I scored. Before the stadiums, the lights and the victories, there was, of course, Bambali. This is where my dreams began… We want to help create jobs and develop agriculture,” he said.
The project is being developed in Casamance, one of Senegal’s major mango-producing areas, where inadequate storage and processing capacity have contributed to substantial post-harvest losses. Estimates cited by Ecofin indicate that Senegal loses between 30 and 45 per cent of harvested fruit annually.
By processing mangoes locally, SM10 Agro is expected to create an outlet for fruit that might otherwise be lost, including produce that does not meet phytosanitary requirements for export to European Union markets.
The project is also expected to strengthen the local agricultural value chain, with the planned processing units allowing farmers to move beyond the sale of fresh mangoes into products with longer shelf lives and wider commercial applications.
According to Senegal’s national news agency, the planned plantation will contain about 78,000 mango trees, with the first harvest expected in three years. The project’s promoters also said the facility would have additional production capacity beyond the initial investment.
Mané’s investment comes as Senegal’s mango export industry recovers from earlier disruptions linked to fruit-fly infestations and other phytosanitary challenges. Exports to Europe reportedly increased to more than 19,000 tonnes in 2026, from about 14,000 tonnes the previous season.
The former Liverpool and Bayern Munich forward has previously invested in social infrastructure in Bambali, but SM10 Agro marks a move into large-scale productive investment, combining agriculture, processing, training and employment around the town where his career began.
