Gabon’s Nkok SEZ Becomes Central Africa’s Industrial Manufacturing Hub

FTZ News: Libreville, Gabon — Gabon’s Nkok Special Economic Zone (GSEZ) is emerging as one of Central Africa’s leading industrial platforms, transforming the country’s natural resources into higher-value manufactured products while attracting international investors.
Located approximately 27 kilometers from Libreville, the Nkok Special Economic Zone covers 1,126 hectares and combines industrial, commercial, and supporting infrastructure. The zone currently hosts companies from more than 15 countries, operating across multiple industrial sectors including timber processing, manufacturing, logistics, and related industries.
A major focus of GSEZ Nkok has been the development of Gabon’s wood-processing industry. Following the country’s decision to restrict exports of unprocessed timber, the zone was created to encourage local transformation and increase the value of exported products.
According to GSEZ data, the zone has attracted more than $1.6 billion in foreign direct investment, created approximately 25,000 direct and indirect jobs, and supported annual exports of around $265 million in manufactured products.
The industrial platform has become particularly important in the timber sector, where companies process local resources into higher-value products such as plywood, veneer, and other finished wood materials rather than exporting raw logs.
GSEZ Nkok also promotes a broader industrial diversification strategy, with companies operating in sectors beyond forestry, including construction materials, agriculture-related industries, and manufacturing services.
The development represents Gabon’s effort to move from a resource-export economy toward a value-added industrial model by creating an environment where international investors can establish production facilities closer to raw materials.
Economic analysts consider Nkok an example of Africa’s new generation of special economic zones, where infrastructure, investment incentives, and industrial policy are combined to create manufacturing ecosystems.
While smaller in scale than major Asian economic zones, Nkok demonstrates how special economic zones can be used as tools for industrialization, job creation, and export diversification in emerging markets.