Gabon lags in fiber optic deployment with high prices despite progress in download speeds
Gabon is making slower progress in fiber optic infrastructure compared to other African nations, despite an increase in its median download speed to 42.25 Mbit/s and a latency of 179.8 milliseconds in the second quarter of 2026. The country's entry-level 50 Mbit/s fiber plan costs over $40 per month, which is nearly double the prices in several West African markets. While investments in fiber optics are accelerating across the continent, Gabon's pace is more modest. Between 2023 and Q2 2026, Gabon saw a 15.9% rise in median download speed, but this is less than the growth in other West African markets. The fixed broadband market in Gabon is primarily served by Moov Africa Gabon Telecom, operating in 19 cities with speeds up to 500 Mbit/s, and Canalbox, offering unlimited plans at 50 and 200 Mbit/s. A public-private partnership announced in late 2025 aims to extend the national fiber optic network by 1,800 kilometers and establish an open access framework for infrastructure. This expansion is crucial for a country where coverage is concentrated in urban centers, aiming to reduce territorial disparities. The main challenge remains high latency, which, despite an 18.5% decrease, was still 179.8 milliseconds in Q2 2026, the highest among six analyzed markets. This high latency hinders reactive services like cloud computing and online gaming. The cost of a 50 Mbit/s plan in Gabon is significantly higher than equivalent offers in West African countries, where prices range from $20
