Senegalese football star Sadio Mané is investing about 11.7 billion CFA francs, around $20 million, in a new agro-industrial project in Bambali, the village where he was born. The project, called SM10 Agro, will focus on growing, processing and selling mangoes. Mané laid the first stone for the project on September 19, 2026, marking the start of construction.
The planned project will cover about 500 hectares and include facilities for sorting and processing mangoes. The products will include mango pulp, dried mangoes and mango butter. The project is expected to have the capacity to process about 8,500 tonnes of mangoes each year.
One of the main goals is to reduce the amount of mangoes that are lost after farmers harvest them. SM10 Agro says a large amount of fruit is lost because there is not enough local storage, processing and transport infrastructure. The project is also expected to create more than 1,000 direct jobs when it starts operating. It will include an agricultural training centre and research facilities, giving young people opportunities to learn skills linked to farming and food production.
Mané is developing the project with support from APIX, Senegal's investment promotion agency, along with other partners. The plan is to keep more of the value from Bambali's mango production in the local area instead of selling the fruit without processing it. For Mané, the project adds a new part to his work outside football. He has previously supported development projects in Bambali, including a school and hospital. SM10 Agro now aims to create jobs and build a longer-term agricultural business in his home community.
