Sadio Mané laying the first stone for SM10 Agro in Bambali alongside Ousmane Sonko and officials. Photo Credit: Sadio Mané/Instagram
Sadio Mané is taking his dedication to his hometown to an incredible new level. The Senegalese football star has officially broken ground on SM10 Agro, a massive agro-industrial venture right in Bambali where he was born.
With an investment of 11.7 billion CFA francs (around $20.4 million), the Al-Nassr forward is setting out to turn the southern Casamance region into a bustling agricultural hub.
Reflecting on the milestone, Mané spoke about what the moment meant to him:
Laying the foundation stone of SM10 AGRO at Bambali is a deeply symbolic moment for me. This is where my dreams started. The village where I was born, where I grew up and where I learned the values that still guide me today. I don’t want to be remembered just for the goals I’ve scored. Before the stadiums, lights and victories, there was Bambali.
Today, being able to contribute to creating opportunities for the families and young people of my village and all of Casamance is a great pride. Seeing that first stone laid, where it all began for me, causes an emotion that is hard to describe. Bambali is my roots. And this project is a way to help write the rest of our history.
Sadio Mané meeting with His Excellency President Bassirou Diomaye Faye in Dakar to discuss the SM10 Agro development. Photo Credit: Sadio Mané/Instagram
Spanning 500 hectares, the development directly addresses a long-standing challenge in the Sédhiou region. Up to 40 per cent of local mango harvests are lost every year because of missing storage and processing infrastructure. SM10 Agro plans to fix that by planting 78,000 Kent mango trees and building four facilities. Instead of exporting raw, unprocessed produce, the site will process the harvest into mango pulp, purée, dried mango, and mango butter, alongside plans to process guava.
The complex is targeting an annual processing capacity of 8,500 tonnes, supplying domestic markets while exporting across Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. Beyond manufacturing, the site will host an agricultural training centre, a research lab, and facilities for agro-tourism.
Sadio Mané on site in Bambali during the official launch of his $20.4 million SM10 Agro project. Photo Credit: Sadio Mané/Instagram
The initiative is projected to create 1,000 direct jobs at full launch, scaling up to 2,500 local opportunities over time. Supported by Senegal’s investment promotion agency APIX, construction will run over an 18-month timeline with operations set to launch in early 2027.
Following the ceremony in Bambali—where he was joined by National Assembly President Ousmane Sonko—Mané travelled to Dakar to present the project to the President of Senegal, Bassirou Diomaye Faye.
Sharing updates from their presidential meeting, Mané said:
Delighted and honored to have been received by His Excellency Mr. Bassirou Diomaye Faye, President of the Republic of Senegal. Our exchanges involved the SM10 AGRO project. Thank you, Excellence, for your listening, your availability and the attention given to this project that is particularly close to our hearts.
Sadio Mané in the official Senegal national football team kit. Photo Credit: Sadio Mané/Instagram
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