Sadio Mané Launches $20m Mango Processing Project in His Senegal Hometown

Senegalese football star Sadio Mané has launched an ambitious $20 million agro-industrial project in his hometown of Bambali, aimed at transforming the region’s mango industry while creating jobs and new economic opportunities for local residents.

The project, known as SM10 Agro, was officially launched with the laying of its foundation stone in Bambali, in Senegal’s southern Sédhiou region, on September 19, 2026. It is valued at about 11.7 billion CFA francs, equivalent to roughly $20.4 million.

The development will cover about 500 hectares and include mango plantations, processing facilities, an agricultural training centre and a research and development component. The processing facilities are expected to produce products including mango pulp, dried mango and mango butter for local and potentially international markets.

Reports indicate that the project is expected to process about 8,500 tonnes of mangoes annually, while SM10 Agro officials have also announced plans to plant around 78,000 mango trees. The first harvest from the new plantation is expected in approximately three years.

Mané said the project was motivated partly by the amount of mangoes lost in the Sédhiou region because of inadequate storage and processing facilities. He has said losses in the region can reach between 30 and 40 per cent of the crop.

The former Liverpool and Bayern Munich forward said he wanted more of the wealth generated from the region’s agricultural resources to remain within Senegal rather than leaving the area as unprocessed produce.

SM10 Agro is expected to create more than 1,000 direct jobs at the beginning, with additional employment expected through transportation, supply and other services linked to the project. The initiative will also provide agricultural training opportunities, particularly for young people and women in the region.

The project represents another major investment by Mané in Bambali, the village where he was born and raised. Over the years, the Senegal international has supported the community through projects including a school, hospital, mosque, petrol station and bakery.

However, SM10 Agro marks a shift towards commercial agricultural production and processing, with the aim of creating an economic chain around farming rather than focusing solely on charitable infrastructure.

The Senegalese government and investment authorities have welcomed the project, with the country’s investment promotion agency, APIX, involved in supporting the initiative. Officials have described it as a project with wider territorial development implications for the region.

For Mané, the venture represents an attempt to build an economic legacy alongside his achievements in football, using agriculture and local processing to create jobs and retain more value within his home community.