LE BRIEF

Gabon / France: Eramet plans a €500 million capital increase as the French state seeks a larger stake

LE BRIEF • 2026-10-14

The mining group confirms its fourth-quarter recapitalisation plan. The operation also matters for its Gabonese businesses, but it has not been completed and the funds have not yet been received.

LE BRIEF, Wednesday 14 October 2026: Africa and Gulf special edition Country : Gabon and France Source publication : 12 October 2026 Event : Statement on 12 October 2026 A worker wearing Comilog clothing at a mining site: photograph supplied for the Eramet report. Mining group Eramet has confirmed its proposed €500 million capital increase, approximately CFA 328 billion, as part of a plan to strengthen its financial position and support industrial activities. The operation, envisaged for the fourth quarter of 2026, has the support of the group’s main shareholders. The French state could become the largest shareholder The French state plans to increase its stake through the State Shareholding Agency, which could become Eramet’s largest shareholder following the transaction. The decision comes amid efforts to secure strategic metal supplies and strengthen European industrial capacity. Major industrial implications for Gabon The operation also has major implications for several African economies. In Gabon, Eramet controls Comilog, a central player in manganese mining, and participates in railway operations through Setrag. Manganese is one of Gabon’s main mineral resources. Its extraction, transport and processing play an important role in exports and extractive-sector revenues. The proposed recapitalisation could improve the group’s ability to finance operations and continue ind...