Gabon aims for mining sector to contribute 20% to GDP and create thousands of jobs
via Gabon Review2 min read
Gabon's Minister of Mines and Geological Resources, Sosthène Nguema Nguema, outlined the government's ambition to transform the mining sector into a key driver of national economic growth. With several deposits moving from exploration to industrial exploitation, authorities aim to leverage Gabon's subsoil wealth for economic diversification, job creation, and increased public revenue. The government hopes the sector's contribution to the GDP will exceed 15% and potentially reach 20% in the future. Currently, the mining sector contributes only 6% to Gabon's GDP. The minister emphasized the transformative potential of this new phase for the Gabonese economy. Expected benefits include the creation of employment opportunities, with the Milingui mine project alone projected to generate approximately 530 direct and 1,000 indirect jobs in its first phase. These new mining projects are intended to stimulate local economies, enhance national skills, and provide professional integration prospects for more Gabonese citizens. This policy is part of Gabon's development strategy for 2030 and builds on decades of prospecting work. Nguema Nguema stated that the goal is for the mining sector to make a significant contribution to the Gabonese economy by 2030, which is expected to reduce unemployment, increase GDP, and improve the lives of Gabonese people. He noted that mineral exploration can take 10 to 20 years, and Gabon is now reaping the benefits of these long-term investments as several s
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Eramet Comilog organized a reflection day on local content in the mining sector on July 14, bringing together public and private stakeholders, including Zenaba Gninga Chaning, Minister of Entrepreneurship, Commerce, SMEs-SMIs, and Léod Paul Batolo, Eramet Comilog's CEO. The event aimed to establish local content as a key driver for Gabon's economy, transforming mineral wealth into national added value and sustainable economic opportunities. Comilog views local content as a strategic opportunity to convert mining wealth into jobs, skills, successful businesses, and prosperity for Gabonese citizens. The company currently has 780 referenced local suppliers and service providers, 74% of which are Gabonese-owned. Additionally, 37% of its purchases, totaling nearly 56.8 billion CFA francs, are made locally, supporting over 3,000 direct jobs through subcontractors. The discussions focused on identifying operational solutions to challenges faced by Gabonese SMEs, such as access to financing, administrative and fiscal compliance, skill development, market visibility, business environment improvement, SME structuring, and inter-actor cooperation. A five-year vision emerged, prioritizing increased wealth creation and retention in Gabon, strengthening local SMEs, generating thousands of skilled jobs, developing human capital, and building lasting public-private partnerships. The goal is to foster national champions capable of creating employment, innovating, and conquering new markets, p
Must ReadGabon has signed the N'Djamena Declaration on Water, adopted at the African Water Forum held in the Chadian capital on July 15 and 16. Philippe Tonangoye, Minister of Universal Access to Water and Energy, signed the document, which commits signatory states to three priorities: water for people, for food systems, and for the planet. It also calls for the development of Water Pacts, which are investment instruments with monitoring mechanisms. By signing, Gabon commits to a national Water Pact. The declaration, under the initiative Water Forward launched by the World Bank, addresses the lack of access to safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene for millions of Africans, exacerbated by droughts, floods, ecosystem degradation, and rapid urbanization. It emphasizes the need for strong institutions, effective operators, ambitious reforms, and increased public and private funding. The three axes of action are universal, equitable, affordable, and resilient access to water for populations, modernization of hydraulic and irrigation infrastructure for food systems, and protection of rivers, lakes, wetlands, and aquifers for the planet. Signatories commit to strengthening governance, operational performance, and financial viability of sector operators, accelerating reforms, increasing public investments, and fostering private sector participation. The declaration urges countries to develop and implement Water Pacts, which include investment priorities, project portfolios, sectoral re
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