• Government launches FNEE to finance electricity production and distribution

• Fund may support stalled projects under national development plan

• Gabon plans $1.93 billion investment in energy projects from 2024 to 2026

Gabon has established the National Fund for Energy and Water (FNEE) to support electricity production and distribution projects. The move, approved during a Council of Ministers meeting on May 30, aims to address ongoing power outages that have disrupted economic activity.

While the government has not disclosed the fund’s budget or financing structure, the FNEE is part of broader efforts to improve energy supply. It complements the emergency energy plan launched in February, which combines short-term measures, key infrastructure investments, and regional energy cooperation.

As part of that plan, two Turkish floating power stations were connected to the grid, adding 70 MW, while a cross-border link with Equatorial Guinea contributed another 3 MW to northern regions.

The FNEE may also help restart delayed long-term projects, including the 125 MW thermal power station at Owendo (planned for 2027) and hydroelectric plants at Ngoulmendjim and l’Impératrice Eugénie. These developments fall under the National Development Plan for Transition and require an estimated $453 million in investment.

Managed by the Ministry of Economy, the fund’s success will depend on how well it mobilizes resources and defines its project selection and oversight mechanisms. Gabon has earmarked CFA1,134.5 billion (about $1.93 billion) for energy investments nationwide over 2024–2026.