Senegalese football star Sadio Mané has launched SM10 Agro, a major agricultural and processing project in his hometown of Bambali, with an investment of 11.7 billion CFA francs and plans to create more than 1,000 direct jobs.
Senegal international Sadio Mané has taken another major step into agriculture and local economic development after launching a multi-billion-franc agro-industrial project in his hometown of Bambali.
The project, known as SM10 Agro, is valued at 11.7 billion CFA francs, equivalent to about $19.5 million, and is designed to develop mango production, processing and agricultural training in Bambali, in Senegal's Sédhiou region.
Mané officially laid the foundation stone for the project on September 19, marking the beginning of what is expected to become one of the major private investments in his home area. Senegal's national news agency, APS, and the country's public broadcaster RTS both reported the project's launch.
The project is expected to create more than 1,000 direct jobs at the start, while generating additional employment through transportation, supply, logistics and other related services. The longer-term employment target has been put at around 2,500 jobs.
A major investment in Bambali
Bambali is the village where Mané was born and raised, and the footballer has repeatedly invested in projects intended to improve living conditions in his hometown.
SM10 Agro represents a shift from primarily community infrastructure projects towards a large-scale commercial and agricultural venture.
The project will cover approximately 500 hectares, with mango cultivation forming a central part of the development. According to APS, the planned plantation will contain about 78,000 mango trees, with the first harvest expected in roughly three years.
The project is intended not only to grow agricultural products but also to process them locally.
That means mangoes produced in the area can potentially be transformed into finished or semi-finished products within the region instead of leaving the community as raw agricultural produce.
Mané has said the project is designed to keep more of the economic value generated by the region's agricultural resources within Senegal.
“I want the wealth of our land to remain here, with us.”
The statement was made by Mané while presenting the project, according to APS.
Mango processing at the centre of the project
Mango production is a major component of SM10 Agro because the Sédhiou region already has an established mango-growing sector.
One of the problems identified by the project promoters is the loss of agricultural produce because of inadequate storage, processing and preservation infrastructure.
APS reported that Mané said the region loses an estimated 30% to 40% of its mango production because of insufficient storage and processing facilities.
SM10 Agro is intended to address part of that problem by introducing processing facilities capable of handling locally produced mangoes.
The planned facilities include units for processing mangoes for export, producing mango pulp, making mango butter and producing dried mango.
The diversification is designed to allow the fruit to be sold in different forms and to create additional value within the local economy.
The project is expected to have an annual processing capacity of between 8,500 and 10,500 tonnes, with the exact figure varying across project announcements and stages of development. Senegalese official reports have cited 8,500 tonnes, while project representatives have also given a potential capacity of 10,500 tonnes.
More than 1,000 direct jobs planned
Employment is one of the biggest objectives of the investment.
SM10 Agro is expected to create more than 1,000 direct jobs when operational, with the potential to reach approximately 2,500 jobs over time.
Additional employment is expected in transportation, agricultural supply, logistics and other services connected to the industrial park.
Mané said the project was intended to provide opportunities particularly for young people, women and farmers in the region.
The development will also include an agricultural training centre designed to provide young people with skills in modern farming techniques.
The centre is expected to operate alongside the industrial facilities, making the project more than simply a plantation and processing plant.
Training centre to support young people and women
Agricultural education forms another important part of the SM10 Agro plan.
The project is expected to include a training institution where young people and women can learn modern agricultural techniques.
A research and development centre and accommodation for workers are also planned as part of the wider development.
The objective is to create an ecosystem around agriculture, rather than simply establishing a farm.
According to reports from Senegalese media, the project is intended to bring together production, processing, training and research within the same development.
That structure could allow farmers in the surrounding communities to gain access to new techniques while also creating a pool of workers with skills relevant to the processing facilities.
Construction expected to take 18 months
The construction phase is expected to take approximately 18 months.
The foundation stone ceremony held in Bambali on September 19 marked the formal beginning of the project.
The initiative is being developed with the involvement of APIX, Senegal's investment promotion agency, alongside the Groupe Confluence and other technical partners.
APIX director-general Bakary Séga Bathily said the project would benefit from provisions under Senegal's investment framework, including tax and customs exemptions for certain equipment imports for five years.
The support reflects the government's interest in attracting productive investment and developing industrial activity outside the country's main urban centres.
Mané's investment goes beyond football
Mané's football career has made him one of Senegal's most recognisable international sports figures.
However, his investments in Bambali have increasingly extended beyond football.
The SM10 Agro project adds a major commercial dimension to his involvement in his hometown.
Rather than concentrating only on donations or community facilities, the project is designed to generate economic activity through agriculture, manufacturing and employment.
That distinction is significant because agricultural production remains an important part of Senegal's economy, while the lack of processing facilities can limit the value that farmers receive from their products.
By placing processing facilities close to production, SM10 Agro aims to create more of the value chain within the region.
A project focused on local value creation
The project's promoters have described SM10 Agro as more than an individual investment.
APIX's Bathily described it as a territorial economic development project, highlighting its potential impact on production, employment and local processing.
The approach is based on a simple economic model: produce locally, process locally and create employment around the resulting value chain.
For mango farmers, additional processing capacity could create new channels for selling their produce.
For young people, the project is expected to provide employment and training opportunities.
For the wider Sédhiou region, the development could increase industrial activity linked to one of its existing agricultural products.
Mané's return to his roots
At the foundation stone ceremony, Mané described the project as a personal milestone because of his connection to Bambali.
The footballer has often spoken about the importance of his upbringing in the village and the role it played before his professional career took him to Europe.
His latest investment therefore combines his personal connection to Bambali with a commercial plan centred on agriculture.
Mané has also said that his objective is to ensure that the opportunities generated by the project benefit local people.
The planned focus on young people, women and farmers is intended to make employment and training central parts of the initiative rather than secondary benefits.
From football success to agricultural investment
Mané's move into agro-industry also reflects a broader trend among African football stars who have used their earnings and public profiles to establish businesses outside sport.
The Senegalese forward has played for clubs including Southampton, Liverpool and Bayern Munich before moving to Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr.
He has also been an important figure for the Senegal national team and was part of the squad that won the country's first Africa Cup of Nations title in 2022.
His SM10 Agro project now represents one of his largest publicly announced investments in Senegal.
With 11.7 billion CFA francs committed, a 500-hectare development, approximately 78,000 planned mango trees, processing facilities and an initial target of more than 1,000 direct jobs, the project is significantly larger than a conventional agricultural venture.
The next major stage will be construction, followed by the establishment of the plantation and processing facilities.
If completed according to the announced plans, SM10 Agro will create an integrated agricultural operation in Bambali covering production, processing, training and employment.
For Mané, the project represents a new investment chapter away from the football pitch while remaining closely connected to the community where his journey began.
