Gabon looks to Senegal as it prepares poultry import ban in 2027

AFRICA – Gabon is turning to Senegal as it prepares to reorganise its poultry industry ahead of a planned ban on imported broiler chickens set to take effect in 2027.

This direction follows a recent visit to Dakar by Agriculture Minister Pacôme Kossy, during which discussions with Senegalese authorities led to an agreement to share technical expertise and industry practices.

Officials in Dakar confirmed their readiness to collaborate with Libreville in designing a production system built on lessons drawn from Senegal’s own development path.

That engagement comes after Gabon announced in 2025 that it would prohibit broiler chicken imports from January 1, 2027, as part of a broader push to reduce reliance on foreign food supplies.

However, the move requires the country to first establish a functioning domestic value chain capable of delivering sufficient volumes at competitive prices.

Senegal’s long-standing import restrictions

Senegal has enforced tight controls on poultry imports for more than two decades, placing it among a small group of African countries, including Nigeria, that have maintained such measures over time.

The policy originated in 2005 during an avian influenza outbreak in West Africa, when authorities suspended poultry imports to limit the risk of disease entering local farms.

The restrictions have remained in place since then, covering live birds, most day-old chicks, poultry meat products, and eggs intended for consumption.

Industry growth under protection

Over time, Senegal’s poultry sector expanded across breeding, feed production, and processing, supported by private investment and coordinated industry planning.

A formal development strategy introduced in 2010 was followed by the creation of an interprofessional body in 2013 that brought together producers, processors, and distributors to manage the sector’s growth.

According to data from the Agricultural and Rural Foresight Initiative, broiler chick production rose by 40.47% between 2015 and 2019 to reach 51.4 million units, while laying hen numbers increased by 13.48% to 3.4 million birds.

Feed output linked to poultry production also climbed by 17.62% over the same period, reaching 328,000 tons.

Figures from the Food and Agriculture Organisation show that Senegal’s chicken meat production grew from 29,042 tonnes in 2005 to 159,502 tonnes in 2024.

Gabon’s production gap

In contrast, Gabon continues to rely heavily on imports, with FAO data indicating average annual purchases of 74,319 tons of chicken meat between 2020 and 2024.

Domestic production during the same period remained limited at around 4,150 tons per year, highlighting the scale of the gap the country aims to close.

Whether Libreville can replicate Senegal’s trajectory will depend on how it adapts those policies to its own market conditions and production constraints.

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