• Gabon seeks to attract U.S. investment into energy and water sectors
• Delegation presents $540 million development plan in Washington
• Government aims secure financing to modernize electricity infrastructure

Gabon is looking to attract American investment into its energy sector. A government delegation traveled to Washington on March 10 to present several investment opportunities to U.S. authorities and financial partners.

The delegation included Philippe Tonangoye, minister for water and energy access; Clotaire Kondja, minister of petroleum and gas; and Thierry Minko, minister of economy and finance. The Gabonese officials met with Sarah Troutman, deputy assistant secretary of state for African affairs at the State Department, according to Gabon Review.

During the talks, the delegation outlined several investment opportunities related to the energy and water sectors. Gabonese authorities said they aim to increase the participation of American companies in priority sectors for the country’s infrastructure development.

The Gabonese government is promoting a 30-year energy and water development program developed with support from the World Bank. The plan calls for investments estimated at $162 million in the short term and up to $540 million over seven years.

The visit comes as several U.S. companies and institutions are already involved in energy projects in Gabon. These include oil major ExxonMobil and the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, which are participating in certain energy infrastructure projects in the country.

Gabon’s outreach to American partners comes as the country faces significant financing needs for its power sector. Authorities are seeking resources to modernize electricity infrastructure.

According to an analysis reported by Ecofin Agency, the government has launched several initiatives to mobilize financing for the energy sector. One of them is the creation of the National Fund for Energy and Water, known by its French acronym FNEE, designed to support electricity and water access projects.

The mechanism aims to mobilize public and private resources, as well as funding from technical and financial partners, to accelerate investment in energy infrastructure.

In August 2025, Tonangoye said publicly that around 2,000 billion CFA francs per year, or about $3.3 billion, would be required for seven years to modernize and expand the country’s electricity infrastructure. These investments are also intended to expand access to water.

Abdel-Latif Boureima