Gabon government declares water emergency in Libreville, seizes vehicles, and reorganizes distribution
via Gabon Review4 min read
The Gabonese government has declared a water emergency across the territory, taking control of water distribution in Libreville. This decision follows the sudden and unexplained disruption of the parallel water distribution network. Philippe Tonangoye, Minister of Universal Access to Water and Energy, announced the measure, citing Article 159 of Law No. 011/2023, which governs precautionary seizures. The minister stated that any exploitation of the population's vulnerability for illegal commercial purposes would be met with the utmost firmness. Fifty-five vehicles, primarily belonging to non-Gabonese nationals, have been seized. These vehicles were allegedly part of an illegal water trade network involving agents from SEEG, selling water at prices six times higher than regulated rates. The distribution of water will now be handled by firefighters, the Republican Guard, military engineers, and the Gendarmerie. A toll-free number, 18, has been set up for residents of Greater Libreville to order water. Official prices have been set at 3,000 FCFA per cubic meter delivered by cubitainer, 600 FCFA for a 200-liter barrel, and 300 FCFA for 100-liter deliveries, payable to law enforcement agents. While the government's intervention aims to address the long-standing water scarcity and illegal profiteering, questions remain regarding the operational capacity, delivery times, and the inclusion of businesses in the new distribution system. The minister assured that feasibility measures wo
Free daily or weekly digest of the most important stories from across 18 African countries. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Gabon Review.
The fourth edition of the Festival de la mode au Gabon Femoga is taking place in Libreville from June 29 to July 5, gathering designers, artisans, and entrepreneurs from over fifteen African countries. The event aims to leverage fashion as a driver for economic, cultural, and tourism development, reinforcing Gabon's ambition to become a regional hub for creative industries. The festival, held at the former H么tel Dialogue, features the theme "The Perfect Wardrobe for the Fifth Republic." The opening ceremony on June 29 was presided over by the Vice President of the Republic, Alexandre Barro Chambrier, who toured exhibition spaces showcasing African cultural identities, artisanal products, natural cosmetics, and innovations by young entrepreneurs. Beyond artistic displays, Femoga promotes economic development through sales exhibitions, training workshops, talent competitions, "Made in Gabon" spaces, and professional meetings to foster exchanges and partnerships across the continent. According to its president, Ang猫le Epouta, Femoga is founded on the belief that fashion, crafts, and creation are key levers for Africa's economic, cultural, and tourism development. The pan-African dimension is highlighted by the participation of delegations from more than fifteen countries, an evolution praised by Chadian designer Zenaba Ousmane Assoua. Organizers aim to position Femoga as a leading platform for African fashion and crafts, promoting local raw materials, supporting continental tale
Maurice Ntossui Allogo, Gabon's Minister of Water and Forests, Environment, Climate, responsible for Human-Wildlife Conflict, launched a new project on June 29, 2026, in Mveng Ayong, Komo-Kango department. This initiative, funded by the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund GBFF and the Global Environment Facility GEF-7 through the World Wildlife Fund United States WWF-US, with technical support from The Nature Conservancy TNC, aims to protect ecosystems and provide solutions for rural communities affected by elephant incursions into their plantations. The project, totaling approximately $1.5 million nearly 900 million CFA francs, will focus on installing electric fences to secure agricultural areas. Mveng Ayong will serve as a pilot site, with plans for nationwide expansion if successful. The electric barriers are provided free of charge, with communities encouraged to organize into cooperatives for better efficiency. This program is part of Gabon's commitment to preserve at least 30% of its terrestrial, marine, and freshwater ecosystems by 2030. The project also includes long-term support for communities in high-pressure wildlife areas, including national parks like Monts de Cristal, Mink茅b茅, Mayumba, and Loango. The goal is to integrate the national human-wildlife conflict management strategy into the "Gabon Infini" financial mechanism, promoting balanced coexistence between people and wildlife. TNC also provided field vehicles to support brigades working on conflict mitigati
Karpowership has begun constructing its new "Sea Lion" class of floating power plants, with an steel-cutting ceremony held at the HSG Sungdong shipyard in South Korea. This initiative involves building four new Powerships, each with a 300 MW capacity, with deliveries scheduled between January and May 2028. These new generation vessels are designed to enhance the company's mobile electricity production capabilities, providing rapidly deployable units for countries facing increasing or urgent energy demands. The "Sea Lion" class represents a technological advancement, featuring three high-efficiency gas turbines operating in a combined cycle to improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions. Each vessel will be 136 meters long with a draft of 4.5 meters, engineered for quick deployment in various coastal areas. Karpowership highlights these as flexible solutions to meet growing electricity grid needs. In Gabon, Karpowership's floating power plants are already in use, reinforcing the national electricity supply. The company has an agreement with the Soci茅t茅 d鈥櫭﹏ergie et d鈥檈au du Gabon SEEG to provide up to 150 MW, supporting the country's electricity network and improving service to Greater Libreville. The operationalization of these floating facilities in 2025 addressed energy availability challenges. The future arrival of the "Sea Lion" class aligns with a strategy to offer rapid, modular energy solutions tailored for emerging markets. Karpowership emphasizes its Powerships' "