• Gabon postponed the operational launch of its Central Purchasing Agency to late Q1 or early April 2026.
• Administrative gaps and the absence of a headquarters delayed initial orders.
• The state-backed agency aims to curb prices and secure supplies of essential imports.

The Central Purchasing Agency of Gabon (CEAG) plans to place its first orders at the end of the first quarter of 2026 or at the beginning of April 2026. Authorities disclosed this timeline on Monday, January 12, 2026, in Libreville, following a meeting chaired by Vice President of the Government Hermann Immongault. Officials held the meeting to review the project’s progress.

CEAG Chief Executive Officer Théophile Boutamba said several steps still require completion. The agency must regularize its legal and administrative documents. It must then establish a detailed operational calendar and contact foreign suppliers to place initial orders.

Officials also highlighted another constraint. CEAG still lacks a headquarters, which prevents the agency from managing files, receiving official correspondence, and signing certain documents.

Authorities originally planned the agency to become operational in January 2026, alongside the arrival of the first food shipments. Administrative and organizational delays prevented authorities from meeting this schedule. Officials now target the launch of initial operations at the end of the first quarter of 2026 or early April.

A tool to act on prices

CEAG operates as a mixed-economy company, with the Gabonese state holding 37% and private distribution-sector operators holding 63%. The Council of Ministers approved the creation of CEAG on August 12, 2025, with initial capital of 1 billion CFA francs ($1.77 million). The Ministry of Economy and Finance oversees the agency as it operates amid rising prices, limited market supply, and speculative practices affecting essential goods.

The agency aims to stabilize prices of basic necessities and reduce household costs. To achieve this goal, CEAG plans to negotiate directly with international producers to import staples such as rice and wheat, ensure product availability, and control costs. The system предусматри storage of goods in general warehouses before distribution to wholesalers at a single regulated price.

Authorities designed this approach to eliminate margin disparities and speculative practices that undermine price stability. The agency will also guarantee product quality through upstream selection conducted in partnership with specialized suppliers. A national price list will set and supervise retail prices to consumers.

Vice President Immongault described CEAG as an economic policy instrument designed to limit price increases and reduce Gabon’s dependence on loosely controlled import channels. By simplifying procurement circuits and consolidating orders, the agency also seeks to cut costs and reduce intermediaries between producers and consumers.

This article was initially published in French by Chamberline Moko

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum