Gabon

A resource-based economy with a relatively high income, in which the weight of oil is slowly declining, and which is seeking new drivers in construction, industry and local processing. 4 sourcesSources7101217

According to the African Development Bank, oil fell 2.9%, mining 2.1%, timber 23.7% and transport 3.5%, while construction and public works jumped 25.4% and other manufacturing grew 8.8% and services 4.4%. The Bank expects the 2026–2027 recovery to be led by construction, agriculture (palm oil and poultry), food processing and services.

The Central African CFA franc is pegged to the euro, and its monetary policy is run by the Bank of Central African States for six countries; this limits exchange-rate risk and constrains national policy tools. 4 sourcesSources7101217

The 2026–2030 plan targets average non-oil growth of 7.4% a year — far above the forecasts of international institutions (around 3%). Target

The gap between official ambition and international forecasts is the central economic question of the coming years, and it is determined by the state’s capacity to finance and implement. Analysis6 sourcesSources6710111217

Estimates vary according to methodology and date of preparation. A 2026 audit of public debt revealed that the actual stock is lower than had been estimated, which the IMF described as an important step for designing any programme. 1314

The debt trajectory and the IMF programme determine the state’s ability to pay for infrastructure projects, the terms of guarantees, and the timing of the launch of new projects. Analysis1314

Each sector is classified according to its current nature — not according to its declared ambition. 6 sourcesSources182122233637

One policy recurs across the major sectors: from raw export to local processing — timber since 2010, and manganese from 2029. Analysis

Oil is still the largest source of revenue and exports, but the fields are old and production is gradually declining, which explains the urgency of diversification. 1819

Oil production fell 2.9% in 2025 according to the Directorate General of the Economy. OPEC’s monthly reports (secondary sources) show production of between approximately 222 and 236 thousand barrels per day during 2025, consistent with an official estimate of around 11.1 million tonnes for the year. Natural gas production grew 1.2%.

The industry brings together international operating companies and Gabon’s national oil company, which has expanded its presence in recent years. The oil capital is Port-Gentil, home to the only refinery and to offshore and onshore field services. 1819

Gabon rejoined OPEC in 2016 and participates in the OPEC+ framework led by the Kingdom with its partners, which makes the energy file an existing channel of communication between the two countries. 19

An established, mature sector; new opportunities lie in marginal fields, gas, services and refining. 1819

A figure of 108 thousand barrels per day for the second quarter of 2025 was published in a press source; it is inconsistent with OPEC data and with the estimate in tonnes, and we did not adopt it. 18

Gabon is the world’s second-largest producer of manganese, a key metal for steelmaking and for some types of batteries. The state has decided to end its export as raw ore. 20

National production reached approximately 9.1 million tonnes in 2025, down 2.5% — for the third consecutive year — with an improvement in the last quarter (+10.8%). It is concentrated in the Moanda area in the south-east of the country and is carried by rail to the port of Owendo.

In 2025 the government announced a halt to raw manganese exports from 2029, to encourage local processing and create jobs. On 21 July 2026 the state signed an agreement with the Eramet group to process up to 700 thousand tonnes a year locally by the end of 2031, through a manganese oxide plant and alloy complexes — on condition that the necessary energy is provided. Announced20

The country has resources of iron ore (Belinga), gold and others at various stages of exploration and development; they fall outside the scope of the documented figures in this edition. 20

The local processing policy and the agreement with Eramet are officially announced; the announced capacity is about 10% of current production. Announced

The announced processing capacity covers only about a tenth of current production, while the ban on exporting raw ore begins in 2029 — an issue that will determine the future of the sector and the opportunities for partnership in it. Analysis20

Forests cover more than 88% of Gabon’s land, with a deforestation rate below 0.08%. They are at once an industrial resource and a climate asset. 21

Gabon has banned the export of raw logs since 2010 and set up the Nkok Special Economic Zone near Libreville for timber processing. Reports from 2022 stated that the zone had attracted more than $1.8 billion in investment and more than 8 thousand direct jobs, and the country is known as Africa’s largest exporter of plywood. Timber production fell 23.7% in 2025 according to the African Development Bank.

Gabon’s forests absorb approximately 140 million tonnes of carbon dioxide a year. It signed a $150 million results-based payments agreement with the Central African Forest Initiative (CAFI), and in 2023 completed a $500 million debt-for-nature swap, of which about $163 million was allocated to ocean protection.

The Kingdom is building a voluntary market for carbon credits and leading afforestation and sustainability initiatives. The intersection with a country holding one of the largest preserved forest reserves in Africa is a subject that merits institutional dialogue — and the Kingdom already imports timber and charcoal from Gabon. Analysis5 sourcesSources1121222332

A 649 km line opened in 1986 linking Owendo to Franceville, operated by SETRAG. It is the only logistics artery to the interior, carrying manganese, timber, goods and passengers. On 30 April 2026 the Council of Ministers approved a modernisation and safety programme worth 133.2 billion CFA francs (a loan of €173 million from the French Development Agency and a European grant of €30 million).

Locomotives and their parts were the largest item in Saudi exports to Gabon in 2025 (9.8 million riyals), and in 2023 the Saudi ambassador expressed interest in supporting a second railway line project. The link between the two is an analytical inference, not a confirmed programme. Analysis

The grid reaches 95.1% of the population, but Libreville experiences frequent outages which the government describes as an unprecedented energy crisis. 16

Demand in the capital has risen faster than generation and transmission capacity, so “periodic load-shedding” programmes have recurred. The energy and water company (SEEG) is working on a recovery plan for 2025–2028, with a restructuring of its activities.

The projects above are officially announced; we have not verified the status of the Boubi dam and the transmission line. Announced1626

Energy is a precondition for everything else: manganese processing (explicitly conditional on the availability of energy), the timber industry, the economic zones, and quality of life in the capital. Analysis1626

Gabon imported food products worth 382 billion CFA francs in 2023 (+3.2%), around a fifth of imports, mainly from France, South Africa and Türkiye. Food security therefore holds a prominent place in the 2026–2030 plan.

Palm oil projects have developed since 2011 through a partnership between the state and the Olam group, with allocated areas of around 198 thousand hectares and annual exports of between 50 and 100 thousand tonnes of crude oil, mostly to Cameroon. Gabon is today the main supplier of crude palm oil in Central Africa.

Gabon ended the fisheries agreement with the European Union in place since 2007, and the termination took effect on 29 June 2026, on the grounds that the return is not proportionate to the scale of exploitation. The agreement allowed European vessels around 32 thousand tonnes of tuna a year. 37

Food is one of the clearest points of intersection with the Kingdom: a market that imports most of its food, marine resources whose access is being restructured, and tropical agriculture capable of expansion. Logistics, energy and land determine the viability of any project. Analysis3 sourcesSources363738

Gabon has 13 national parks created at the start of the millennium, and two UNESCO World Heritage sites: Lopé-Okanda (2007) and Ivindo (2021). It is known for forest elephants, gorillas and the beaches at Loango where the forest meets the ocean. The sector is emerging, limited by the cost of access and the scarcity of hotel capacity outside the capital.

An independent ministry for the digital economy, digitalisation and innovation, and projects presented to investors in Riyadh in 2023: two data centres, a 2,185 km extension of the fibre network, and a submarine link towards the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Upscale ecotourism is consistent with a growing interest among Saudi travellers in remote natural destinations. Analysis1621

This table is an institutional summary and is no substitute for legal and tax advice. Legal and regulatory requirements must be verified at the time of decision, with the competent authorities and a licensed local adviser. 5 sourcesSources1422394041

A stable currency, a unified regional business law and substantial resources; on the other hand, fiscal pressures, high energy and transport costs, and a small domestic market. Analysis5 sourcesSources1422394041

Eight areas inferred from the data, not ranked by preference, and not ready-made opportunities or investment recommendations. Area worth studying, not a ready-made opportunity6 sourcesSources222532353638

An official point of contact (the National Investment Promotion Agency or the relevant ministry), a local partner whose registration and beneficial owner are verified, and an early understanding of the IMF negotiation track and its effect on public projects — before any financial commitment. Analysis6 sourcesSources162123263237

Fast-changing information — the IMF programme, the budget, enforcement of the manganese export ban, visa requirements, flight schedules — should be reviewed in the week of the visit itself and before any signing. 3 sourcesSources143941

Visas, flights and prices are subject to change. Last verified: 3 October 2026. Review with the official authorities and airlines before booking.