• Gabon receives 100 new buses as part of a 130-unit order from Tata Motors.
• The reform plan includes merging public operators and diversifying into fuel freight.
• SOGATRA faces heavy debt and operational constraints despite state support.

Gabon has taken delivery of 100 new buses to strengthen the fleet of the state-owned transport company SOGATRA, marking a new phase in the government’s public transport reform program.

The buses, which arrived last weekend, are part of a broader order of 130 units announced in March 2025 under a contract with Indian manufacturer Tata Motors.

Authorities are implementing measures to restructure the urban and interurban transport operator. Beyond renewing an aging fleet, the plan includes merging SOGATRA with another public operator, Trans’Urb, and expanding the activities of the new entity. The merged company is expected to enter the fuel freight segment, currently dominated by private operators. The government says this diversification would strengthen financial autonomy and support future investment capacity.

The reform also includes related projects such as deploying smart bus shelters and introducing a traffic monitoring system to improve service quality and modernize the urban mobility ecosystem.

Operational strain and financial fragility

The overhaul comes amid longstanding structural and governance challenges at SOGATRA.

The company is heavily indebted and faces operational constraints linked to an aging and insufficient fleet. These issues have been cited as key reasons for limited service coverage and poor passenger comfort.

In July 2024, a government investment plan provided for the acquisition of about 30 buses, although estimated needs stood at roughly 220 units for optimal operations. By early 2025, only around 20 buses were reportedly operational, according to local media, with others sidelined due to recurring breakdowns or spare parts shortages.

Financially, SOGATRA had accumulated an estimated CFA22 billion (about $39.8 million) in debt by 2021, according to statements attributed by local outlet Gabon Review to then-Transport Minister Brice Paillat. The figure includes CFA1.5 billion owed to suppliers and significant social security arrears to the CNSS and the CNAMGS.

The company’s difficulties were compounded by the fare-free policy introduced during the COVID-19 crisis and maintained afterward. In 2024, the government allocated CFA3.5 billion to support SOGATRA, Trans’Urb and Transakanda. However, several observers consider this assistance insufficient and argue that a gradual return to a paid model may be necessary to ensure financial sustainability.

Beyond the bus segment, Gabon’s broader land transport modernization plan includes upgrading the rail network through the renewal of trains operated by Setrag, the Transgabonais railway company, and deploying a modern taxi fleet under the “Taxi Gab” project.

The success of these reforms will depend on several critical factors, including the state’s ability to mobilize sustainable financing, control operating costs, improve internal governance and establish a viable business model.

Henoc Dossa