🇬🇦GabonCentral Africa
President Oligui Nguema aims to double social housing in Gabon, with 1,600 units planned for Bikélé
via Gabon Review2 min read
President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema is actively pursuing initiatives to enhance access to decent housing for Gabonese citizens. On June 1, 2026, the President met with a delegation of real estate developers, led by the Minister of Housing, Mays Mouissi. This meeting focused on the construction of 1,600 social housing units at the Bikélé Nzong site in Estuaire province, a project financially supported by BGFI Bank Group. This program is designed to address the growing demand for housing and improve living conditions. While primarily for public sector employees, the program will also be accessible to private sector workers who meet eligibility criteria. This initiative is part of a broader strategy by President Oligui Nguema to make housing more accessible through controlled land costs, strengthened land security, and increased social housing availability nationwide. The President urged developers to prioritize construction quality, adherence to standards, and timely project completion. The first phase includes over 1,000 housing units in Estuaire, with plans for gradual expansion to all nine provinces. Authorities aim to double the national social housing supply, making the right to housing a reality for more Gabonese citizens.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Gabon Review.
Samb'a Assurances, a young company selected by UGRIF for Central African Securities Exchange BVMAC listing support, is led by Dr. Andrew Gwodog. Dr. Gwodog previously headed Société commerciale gabonaise de réassurance SCG-Ré from 2012 to November 2023, making it Central Africa's leading reinsurer. Under his leadership, SCG-Ré increased its capital by 5 billion FCFA in late 2022 for its own BVMAC introduction. Founded in September 2024, Samb'a Assurances focuses on digital micro-insurance for underserved populations, including informal sector workers, farmers, and small traders. The company has a pan-African shareholding with partners from Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, and Gabon. In just fifteen months, Samb'a Assurances saw its turnover grow from 188 million FCFA in 2024 to 443 million FCFA in 2025, a 136% increase, with a net profit of 33 million FCFA. It also reports an average claims settlement time of less than ten days for over 300 settled claims. This growth continued with the May 2026 launch of Samb'a Assurances Cameroun, capitalized at over 615 million FCFA with 59 shareholders. UGRIF's selection of Samb'a Assurances for its IPO project is based on the founder's financial market experience, established regional governance, and sustained growth.
Must ReadGabon's public debt reached 8,780 billion FCFA by the end of December 2025, an increase of 1,647 billion FCFA in one year. For the first time, the state owes more to banks within the country and the sub-region than to major foreign creditors. External debt slightly decreased to 4,127.6 billion FCFA, while domestic debt surged by nearly 57% in one year, reaching 4,652.7 billion FCFA. The Directorate General of Debt attributes this increase to two main factors. Firstly, a Task Force on debt officially recognized and validated previously uncounted state debts to companies and suppliers, known as "moratoriums," totaling 758.7 billion FCFA. Secondly, the state borrowed significantly from the regional financial market, raising 2,161.7 billion FCFA in 2025, with over half of this amount coming from banks outside Gabon in neighboring countries. Despite record repayments of 2,565.4 billion FCFA in 2025, including special operations like debt repurchases and Operation MOUELE, payment arrears have accumulated. Operation MOUELE, completed in April 2025, restructured domestic debt repayments, extending the average duration from 2.3 years to 6 years to ease the financial burden. However, payment arrears reached 459.5 billion FCFA, an increase of 193 billion FCFA from the end of 2024. While the state prioritizes repaying major international lenders to maintain confidence, partner countries are owed 155 billion FCFA, foreign suppliers 121.4 billion FCFA, and validated moratorium debts have 1
Must ReadGabon's decision to suspend social media access in February, in response to content deemed dangerous or destabilizing, resulted in a nationwide internet slowdown. This measure, initially aimed at curbing abuses by a few, has penalized all users, including students, researchers, journalists, and entrepreneurs, who face disruptions to videoconferences, delayed transactions, and lost clients. Despite the restrictions, public institutions and administrations continue to use social media for communication, creating a paradox. The economic cost of a degraded internet is significant, leading to decreased productivity for businesses, delayed orders, and lost opportunities. Modern economies rely on efficient communication tools, and a slow internet hinders growth and diversification efforts. The article argues that a country's attractiveness depends on its infrastructure quality, including digital, and reducing internet access sends a concerning signal to investors, especially in a country already facing high electricity costs. It suggests that a more balanced approach, focusing on proportionate and targeted responses, would be more suitable than a measure with indistinct effects, emphasizing that while security and stability are legitimate concerns, judicial mechanisms and technical reinforcement could address infractions without penalizing the entire population. Ultimately, a slow internet could impede Gabon's ambitions to attract investors, stimulate innovation, and develop its dig