Senegalese football star Sadio Mané invests $20 million in hometown mango project

Senegalese football star Sadio Mané is investing 11.7 billion CFA francs ($20.4 million) in an agro-industrial complex in Bambali, his hometown in Senegal, as he expands his business interests beyond football. The project will sort and export fresh mangoes while producing mango pulp, dried fruit and mango butter for local and international markets.

The foundation stone for SM10 AGRO is expected to be laid Sept. 19. The complex will include processing facilities, a 500-hectare mango plantation and an agricultural college, with promoters expecting the project to create about 1,000 jobs. About 78,000 mango trees are planned, with the first harvest expected within three years.

Building a local industry

The facility is expected to process 8,500 tons of mangoes annually, giving Senegal greater capacity to turn more of its crop into higher-value products. The country exports tens of thousands of tons of fresh mangoes, mainly to Europe, while only about 2% of its mango production is currently processed locally.

SM10 AGRO plans to sell its products in Senegal and across African, European and Middle Eastern markets. Its promoters expect the project to become profitable in its second year and have projected returns exceeding 100% on the investment, although those projections have not been independently verified.

From football to farming

For Mané, the project carries a personal dimension. “I don’t want to be remembered just for the goals I’ve scored,” he said in a statement announcing the investment, describing Bambali as the place where his dreams began and saying the project would create opportunities for families and young people in Casamance.

The investment adds to Mané’s long-running support for his hometown. He has previously funded a hospital, school and stadium in Bambali, while also supporting internet access and providing assistance to families. His latest venture places that community focus alongside a commercial investment in agriculture and food processing.

A fortune built on football

Mané has been captain and a leading scorer for Senegal and moved to Saudi Pro League club Al Nassr after the 2022-23 season with Bayern Munich. Forbes ranked him No. 8 among the world’s highest-paid soccer players in 2025, with earnings of $54 million, following $52 million the previous year.

His philanthropy has also drawn international recognition. In 2019, while playing for Liverpool, Mané donated £250,000 ($318,500) toward a school in Bambali. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he gave £41,000 ($52,220) to Senegal’s national response committee, extending support that had already become a defining part of his public profile.

Investment meets philanthropy

In 2021, Mané donated £500,000 ($637,000) to fund a hospital in Bambali. The following year, his community work earned him the inaugural Socrates Award, named after Brazilian footballer and social activist Sócrates, at the Ballon d’Or ceremony.

“Sometimes I’m a bit shy talking about it,” Mané said while accepting the award. “But I’m really happy to do what I can for our people and to make, maybe, things better.” SM10 AGRO now gives that commitment a commercial dimension, linking his wealth from football with an agricultural project rooted in his hometown.