Gabon’s economic future took centre stage as academics, business leaders, and policymakers gathered for the Gabon Economic Forum, held from July 7 to 8 under the theme: “Transforming the Gabonese economy to ensure sustainable and shared growth.”
Organised by the Ministry of Economy, Finance, Debt and Equity — also tasked with combating the high cost of living — the forum culminated in a series of robust recommendations aimed at crafting a new, resilient economic model for the nation.
Key among the proposals was the adoption of a sector-specific strategy that prioritises high-potential industries, including agriculture, forestry, mining, digital services, and tourism.
Participants stressed the importance of regularly providing reliable economic data to better guide investment decisions, while also calling for a revision of the public procurement code to prioritise local industry.
To further boost Gabon’s economic transformation, experts advocated for accelerating the local processing of natural resources through enhanced sectoral special economic zones.
There were also strong calls to redirect public and private investment into high-impact projects across agriculture, fisheries, and local value-added services.
Formalising the informal sector and implementing a coherent national industrialisation strategy also emerged as priorities. Attendees urged a reorientation of budgetary policy to emphasise performance, transparency, and sustainability — with particular focus on overhauling public administration to improve efficiency and ensure sound financial management.
Tax incentive rationalisation and better-targeted subsidies were proposed to maximise both fiscal impact and equity.
The forum’s recommendations form the basis of a new action plan that aims to deliver double-digit economic growth.
“The social project ‘Let us build the new edifice for our rise towards happiness,’ supported by the President of the Republic, Head of State, Head of Government, His Excellency Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, now has a concrete economic translation,” said Minister of Economy and Finance Henri-Claude Oyima at the forum’s conclusion.
“The course is set, the skills, the resources, and above all the political will are united.”
According to Oyima, an action plan to implement these resolutions will soon be unveiled, with a target of mobilising 10,000 billion FCFA over the next seven years to underpin Gabon’s transformation agenda.
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