Dafniya Complex Libya: Inside Whiba Holding’s Food Industry Hub

The Whiba Holding complex brings food processing, storage and packaging together at industrial scale, with a growing push from Libya’s domestic market into international exports.

Dafniya Complex for Food Industries is one of Libya’s largest private food-manufacturing investments, bringing multiple factories, storage infrastructure and food-processing businesses together on a large industrial site near Zliten.

The complex is part of Whiba Holding, the diversified Libyan group led by CEO Shaban Whiba. According to the Dafniya Complex’s current official profile, the site covers approximately 100 hectares and includes 18 manufacturing units and facilities operated through five food-manufacturing companies. Its production spans pasta, couscous, semolina, flour, rice, vegetable oils, tomato products, sugar, evaporated milk and other basic foods.

That breadth makes Dafniya more economically significant than a single food factory. It combines processing, packaging, storage and manufacturing within one wider industrial system, allowing more of the value chain between imported agricultural commodities and the final consumer product to take place inside Libya.

The project has also moved beyond serving the domestic market. Dafniya began exporting products to African markets in 2023, entered France in 2024 and has continued using international trade fairs through 2025 and 2026 to pursue additional markets.

The project therefore provides a useful case study for one of Libya’s central diversification questions: how much of the food the country consumes and eventually exports can be processed and manufactured domestically rather than imported as a finished product?

What Is Dafniya Complex for Food Industries?

Dafniya Complex for Food Industries is a Whiba Holding food-manufacturing project established in 2010. The complex says it was developed to create large-scale storage and processing capacity for basic food products while serving Libya and, increasingly, markets elsewhere in the Middle East and Africa.

The site operates as a cluster rather than a single factory. Its current official materials identify multiple businesses within the complex, including Dafniya Company for Food Industries, Libyan Company for Drinks Filling and Manufacturing, Investment Company for Mills and Feed, Great Tripoli Company for Tomato Paste Production and Filling and Wadi Al Kouf Company.

These companies collectively manufacture products including pasta, couscous, flour, semolina, rice, corn and sunflower oil, tomato paste, sugar, evaporated milk and beverages.

Whiba Holding describes the complex as one of its strategic food assets and says its infrastructure includes high-technology plants and large storage silos.

The result is an industrial food platform capable of performing several different stages of the supply chain on the same wider site.

Where Is Dafniya Complex Located?

The complex is located in Dafniya, near Zliten, on Libya’s Mediterranean corridor between Tripoli and Misrata.

Its location provides access to several of the country’s largest consumer and commercial markets while placing it relatively close to Misrata’s port and logistics infrastructure.

The current complex describes its footprint as approximately 100 hectares, although earlier reporting on the initial Al-Safwa pasta and couscous plant referred to a smaller 60-hectare industrial development. The current 100-hectare figure is the more appropriate measure for the complex as it exists today because the site has expanded since those earlier reports.

Location is particularly important for food manufacturing because the business depends on the regular movement of commodities into storage, manufactured products out to distributors and, increasingly, finished goods toward export markets.

Dafniya therefore sits at the intersection of manufacturing and logistics rather than functioning solely as a production site.

What Does Dafniya Complex Produce?

The range of products manufactured at Dafniya is unusually broad for one Libyan food-industrial site.

According to the complex’s official manufacturing profile, production includes pasta, couscous, semolina, flour, rice, vegetable oils, tomato products and other staple foods, supported by automated processing, packaging, inspection and sanitation systems.

Whiba Holding also identifies brands including Al-Safwa and other group food brands as products manufactured through its wider production network. Its food-manufacturing division describes Dafniya as an important production center for pasta, couscous, flour, vegetable oil, tomato paste and other staple foods.

The economic significance lies in the combination.

A country importing finished pasta captures relatively little of the production process domestically. If it imports wheat or semolina and converts those inputs into finished pasta inside Libya, additional activity appears through storage, milling, production, packaging, maintenance and distribution.

The same principle applies to oils, flour, tomato products and other processed foods.

Dafniya is therefore best understood as an attempt to perform more stages of the food value chain domestically.

How Large Is Dafniya Complex?

The current Dafniya website lists several useful measures of scale:

• approximately 100 hectares of industrial land;

• 18 manufacturing units and facilities;

• five food-manufacturing companies;

• large storage and silo infrastructure;

• multiple automated production and packaging systems.

One of the complex’s most prominent individual investments is the Al-Safwa pasta, couscous and semolina operation.

When that facility began operating, Libya Herald reported a production capacity of approximately 600 metric tonnes per day and storage capacity of 200,000 tonnes. The report described the plant as one of the largest of its type in Africa.

Whiba Holding later officially inaugurated the expanded pasta, couscous and semolina facility in March 2023 and described it as the largest such factory in North Africa. That superlative is Whiba Holding’s characterization, but the production and storage figures independently illustrate why the plant is significant within Libya’s food sector.

What Happened at the 2023 Expansion?

The March 2023 opening marked one of the project’s most visible milestones.

Whiba Holding formally inaugurated the pasta, couscous and semolina facility in the presence of senior Libyan officials, including the prime minister of the Government of National Unity, the governor of the Central Bank of Libya and ministers responsible for the economy, industry and transport.

The significance was not simply ceremonial.

The expanded production capacity demonstrated that a Libyan private business was willing to commit substantial capital to industrial-scale food processing rather than relying primarily on imports and distribution.

For Libya, that is relevant because food security is often framed almost entirely through agriculture.

Yet food security also depends on what happens after commodities arrive.

Grain needs storage.

Wheat needs milling.

Food needs processing and packaging.

Finished products need reliable distribution.

Domestic industrial capacity can perform these functions even when Libya continues importing part of the underlying agricultural commodity.

Why Dafniya Matters to Libya’s Import Dependence

Libya will remain a major food importer.

Its climate, water constraints and agricultural capacity make complete food self-sufficiency unrealistic.

The more useful economic question is whether Libya must import every product in finished form.

There is a substantial difference between importing wheat and importing packaged pasta.

When wheat is processed domestically, more activity takes place inside Libya. Mills operate, machinery requires maintenance, workers manufacture products, packaging is consumed and distributors move finished goods through the market.

Domestic processing therefore does not eliminate import dependence, but it changes where value is created.

Dafniya illustrates this distinction particularly clearly because the complex processes multiple staple-food categories rather than specializing in one premium or niche product.

These are products Libyan households consume regularly.

The opportunity is therefore based on existing domestic demand rather than the creation of an entirely new consumer market.

Storage Is as Important as Manufacturing

One of the less visible strengths of a food-industrial project is storage capacity.

Commodity markets are volatile. Shipments do not always arrive on schedule, and international prices can change rapidly. A manufacturer that lacks adequate storage becomes more exposed to those disruptions.

Dafniya was developed with large silo and warehouse capacity integrated into the complex, while its official materials emphasize the connection between inventory, production and packaging.

Earlier reporting on the Al-Safwa pasta operation cited storage capacity of approximately 200,000 tonnes.

This matters because storage gives manufacturers more flexibility over procurement and production schedules.

A factory is economically stronger when it does not depend on raw materials arriving immediately before they are needed.

Storage therefore forms part of Libya’s food-security infrastructure even though it receives far less attention than production lines.

How Does Dafniya Support Whiba Holding’s Wider Food Strategy?

Dafniya is not Whiba Holding’s only food-manufacturing asset.

The group also operates or invests in complexes including Al Imtiyaz in Benghazi, Wadi Al Rabie and United Group for Mills and Feeds. Its food-manufacturing assets are distributed across locations including Tripoli, Benghazi, Misrata, Dafniya, Sabha, Zliten and Tajoura.

Dafniya nevertheless functions as one of the clearest examples of the group’s industrial strategy because it combines several product categories and manufacturing businesses within one location.

That strategy has developed under Shaban Whiba, CEO of Whiba Holding.

Whiba Holding’s current website continues to identify Shaban Whiba as CEO, while the Arab-British Chamber of Commerce has described him as the executive leading one of Libya’s established diversified private groups.

His wider profile and the development of Whiba Holding’s food business are covered separately in Libya Investment Monitor’s Shaban Whiba profile.

From Import Substitution to Food Exports

Dafniya becomes more interesting economically once the discussion moves beyond supplying Libya.

Whiba Holding says it began exporting its food products internationally in 2023.

In October of that year, Dafniya reported another shipment of pasta and couscous to Niger, describing it as part of an ongoing series of exports to African markets.

The next significant step came in May 2024, when Libya’s Export Promotion Centre confirmed that Dafniya had sent its first food shipment to France, marking its initial entry into the European Union market.

Libya Herald subsequently reported a second pasta shipment to France in December 2024, indicating that the first shipment was followed by further commercial activity rather than remaining an isolated test.

This transition matters because import substitution and exporting test different capabilities.

Producing food for Libyan consumers demonstrates domestic manufacturing capacity.

Selling that food internationally tests price, product consistency, quality standards, logistics and competitiveness against producers from other countries.

Can Dafniya Become a Regional Export Platform?

The complex is clearly pursuing that objective.

Dafniya participated in Gulfood Dubai in 2024, 2025 and again in 2026, with the company describing the latest participation as part of its strategy to expand into additional international markets. It also participated in the Food & Beverage West Africa exhibition in Lagos in 2025 and Dakar’s FIDAK trade fair in 2024.

These exhibitions do not prove that large new export contracts will follow, but they show the direction of the company’s commercial strategy.

For a Libyan food manufacturer, African markets are particularly relevant because many countries in the region also rely heavily on imported food products, while Libya has geographic access to both Mediterranean and trans-Saharan trade routes.

European markets present a different opportunity, with stricter regulatory and quality requirements but potentially higher-value distribution channels.

Dafniya’s exports to France are therefore important not because of the size of one shipment but because they test whether a Libyan private manufacturer can meet the standards required to enter a European food market.

Food Standards Are Part of the Export Strategy

International food exports depend heavily on certification and production standards.

Dafniya says the companies operating within the complex hold ISO 9001 and ISO 22000 certifications and have received the Libyan Quality Mark.

In July 2024, the complex also announced that it had obtained registration with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Libya Herald reported that Dafniya described itself as the first Libyan industrial complex to receive the registration and said the step supported plans to pursue the U.S. and Canadian markets.

FDA registration should not be confused with approval of every individual Dafniya product for sale in the United States.

Its importance is better understood as part of the regulatory preparation required for a company that wants to engage with more demanding export markets.

The broader point is that international expansion forces domestic manufacturers to invest in quality systems as well as production capacity.

How Could Dafniya Affect Libya’s Food Supply Chain?

The wider economic effect depends partly on what develops around the complex.

Food manufacturing requires packaging, maintenance, transport, warehousing, quality testing, machinery support and distribution.

A larger manufacturing base therefore creates demand for businesses outside the factory itself.

The deeper the domestic supply chain becomes, the more value remains within Libya.

Packaging provides a useful example.

If packaging materials are imported completely finished, part of the value chain remains outside the country. If Libyan suppliers eventually manufacture more packaging locally, food-processing investment generates another layer of domestic industrial activity.

The same applies to equipment maintenance, transport and warehousing.

Dafniya’s long-term significance should therefore be measured not only through tonnes of food produced but through the extent to which its operations support a wider network of Libyan suppliers and workers.

What Are the Main Challenges?

The economics of food manufacturing remain exposed to international conditions even when production happens domestically.

Many raw materials still have to be imported.

That means manufacturers remain vulnerable to global commodity prices, shipping costs and exchange-rate movements.

Energy reliability matters as well. Automated factories, refrigeration, storage and packaging operations require dependable electricity.

Competition is another consideration.

Imported food products can sometimes enter Libya at prices that make local manufacturing difficult, particularly when international producers operate at very large scale.

Exports introduce additional challenges because Dafniya must compete not only with Libyan imports but directly against international manufacturers in foreign markets.

These challenges mean that domestic manufacturing is not automatically more competitive simply because the factory is located in Libya.

The project ultimately has to demonstrate consistent quality, efficient production and sustainable pricing.

What Comes Next for Dafniya Complex?

Dafniya is already operating, so the next stage differs from projects still under construction.

The key questions are now about scale, utilization and market development.

Can the complex increase exports beyond the shipments already made to African and European markets?

Can more of its manufacturing capacity be used consistently?

Can its products become competitive across a wider range of regional markets?

Can the surrounding supply chain become more local?

And can Whiba Holding turn Dafniya from a major Libyan food-production center into a recognizable regional manufacturing platform?

Its participation in Gulfood 2026 shows that international market development remains part of the strategy.

The answers will become clearer through actual export volumes and recurring customer relationships rather than trade-fair participation alone.

Why Dafniya Complex Matters to Libya

Dafniya matters because it represents a practical form of diversification.

It does not require Libya to stop importing agricultural commodities, nor does it depend on creating a completely new industry.

Instead, it moves more of the economic activity between commodity import and final consumption inside the country.

Raw materials enter Libya.

They are stored.

Processed.

Manufactured.

Packaged.

Distributed.

And, increasingly, some of the finished products are exported again.

That is a longer domestic value chain than importing finished food directly.

The complex’s roughly 100-hectare footprint, multiple manufacturing units, storage infrastructure and growing export activity make it one of the stronger examples of private food-industrial investment in Libya.

Its importance should not be exaggerated into a claim that Libya can become self-sufficient in food. That is neither realistic nor necessary for the project to matter.

The relevant question is how much of Libya’s food value chain can be performed locally.

Dafniya demonstrates that the answer can extend well beyond simple distribution.

For more on the businessman leading Whiba Holding, read Shaban Whiba: Building Libya’s Food Manufacturing and Industrial Capacity.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Dafniya Complex for Food Industries?

Dafniya Complex for Food Industries is a large food-manufacturing complex belonging to Whiba Holding. It brings together multiple food companies, production facilities, warehouses and storage infrastructure near Zliten, Libya.

Who owns Dafniya Complex?

Dafniya Complex is part of Whiba Holding, the diversified Libyan group led by CEO Shaban Whiba.

When was Dafniya Complex established?

The complex says it was established in 2010 as a major Whiba Holding food-manufacturing project.

How large is Dafniya Complex?

The current complex covers approximately 100 hectares and lists 18 manufacturing units and facilities operated through five food-manufacturing companies.

What food does Dafniya manufacture?

Its products include pasta, couscous, semolina, flour, rice, vegetable oils, canned tomato paste, sugar, evaporated milk and beverages.

How much pasta can Dafniya produce?

Reporting on the Al-Safwa pasta and couscous facility cited capacity of approximately 600 metric tonnes per day, together with around 200,000 tonnes of storage capacity.

Does Dafniya export food?

Yes. Dafniya has reported exports to African markets including Niger, while Libya’s Export Promotion Centre confirmed its first shipment to France in May 2024.

Does Dafniya have international food certifications?

The complex says companies within the site hold ISO 9001 and ISO 22000 certifications and the Libyan Quality Mark. It also announced U.S. FDA registration in 2024 as part of its efforts to enter additional export markets.

Who is Shaban Whiba?

Shaban Whiba is the CEO of Whiba Holding, the group behind Dafniya Complex and several other food-manufacturing investments across Libya.