• Contract workers in Gabon’s oil industry denounce short-term deals and unmet commitments.
• Unions warn of a possible strike by December 31 if conditions do not improve.
• The dispute comes as oil still accounts for two-thirds of the country’s exports.

In Gabon, contract workers in the oil industry are raising concerns about what they describe as precarious employment conditions. Local media reported on November 25 that workers cite rights they say are inadequately respected across several production sites.

On installations throughout the sector, workers and their representatives say most maintenance, logistics, and technical support depends on subcontracting arrangements in which multiple service companies supply the labor needed for daily operations.

Employees interviewed say they face short-term contracts and promises that have not materialized. They are calling for authorities and companies to implement measures announced during earlier mediation efforts. Workers have also warned that they may launch a strike by December 31 if conditions do not improve.

The 2023 report of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, which covers 2022 data, shows that the extractive sector—dominated by oil—accounts for more than 30% of Gabon’s GDP. Social issues therefore take on added weight in a sector that remains central to the national economy. Crude oil made up 67% of the country’s exports in 2023, according to the General Directorate of Customs.

No official response or public statement has been issued so far. Last month, Ecofin Agency reported that the government intends to address precarious employment in the oil sector. That commitment followed discussions with the National Organization of Oil Employees (ONEP), the Gabon Oil Union (UPEGA), and the Convention of Indigenous Oil Companies of Gabon (CEPAG).

Abdel-Latif Boureima