• Subcontracted workers in Gabon’s oil industry threaten to strike before December 31 over precarious working conditions.

• The extractive sector accounts for over 30% of Gabon’s GDP and crude oil represented 67% of exports in 2023.

• The government plans to address job insecurity in the industry after talks with ONEP, UPEGA and CEPAG.

Gabon faces rising pressure to improve social conditions for oil-sector workers, as authorities signal their intent to address longstanding job insecurity in an industry that remains central to state revenue.

Local media reported on Tuesday, November 25, that subcontracted workers in the oil sector are denouncing employment conditions they consider precarious. Several testimonies describe rights they say employers do not sufficiently respect.

Workers and their representatives explain that most maintenance, logistics and technical assistance on oil sites rely on a subcontracting system involving multiple service providers. These companies supply the labor required for daily operations.

Employees interviewed claim they face short-term contracts and commitments that companies fail to honor. They call for authorities and operators to implement measures announced during previous mediations. They also warn they will launch a strike before December 31 if no improvements occur.

The 2023 Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative report, covering 2022 data, shows that Gabon’s extractive sector—dominated by hydrocarbons—accounts for more than 30% of GDP. The social issue therefore carries significant weight in a segment that plays a decisive role in the national economy. According to the General Directorate of Customs, crude oil represented 67% of Gabon’s exports in 2023.

No institutional response or official communication has been issued so far. Last month, Ecofin Agency reported that the Gabonese government intends to end job insecurity in the oil sector. The government expressed this commitment after discussions with the National Organization of Oil Employees (ONEP), the Gabonese Petroleum Union (UPEGA) and the Convention of Indigenous Oil Companies of Gabon (CEPAG).

This article was initially published in French by Abdel-Latif Boureima

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum