It is hard to imagine that Nkok, a small town 27 kilometres outside Gabon’s capital, Libreville, will host sub-Saharan Africa’s biggest special economic zone. But with $200m of investments already committed to this joint venture between the Gabonese government and the Singaporean commodities firm Olam International, it has made a promising start.
The 1100-hectare zone, which will focus on timber processing, aims to attract $1.1bn a year in foreign investment by offering tax breaks, including tax exemptions on profits for 10 years. The partnership encapsulates the government’s determination to become a major emerging market by 2025.
