• SEEG loses CFA30–40 billion yearly due to illegal connections and tampering.
• Nearly 25% of electricity supplied nationwide goes unbilled.
• The utility plans smart meters and awareness campaigns to curb losses.

The Société d’Énergie et d’Eau du Gabon (SEEG) has called for a national mobilization to curb energy fraud, which costs the company an estimated CFA30–40 billion ($49–66 million) annually.

According to local media reports citing Managing Director Steeve Saurel Legnongo on October 29, nearly one-quarter of the electricity fed into the national grid is not billed due to illegal connections and tampered meters. In the Greater Libreville area alone, such losses amount to more than CFA2 billion ($3.3 million) per month.

The company warned that these practices threaten the financial stability and service quality of the public utility. SEEG, already weakened by budget constraints, was placed under temporary administration in August 2024 due to management and cash flow challenges. The measure, lifted in May 2025, aimed to restore financial balance and strengthen internal governance.

To address the issue, SEEG has launched a response plan that includes increased field inspections and regularization campaigns in several regions. In 2024, inspectors uncovered 209 cases of fraud out of 780 installations checked in Libreville over just three days, according to local media.

The company also plans to deploy smart meters to automatically detect irregular consumption and will roll out public awareness campaigns to educate households and businesses on the risks of fraud and promote responsible energy use.

SEEG said the success of its anti-fraud drive will depend on the effective implementation of these measures and public cooperation. The utility hopes to recover part of the lost revenue and rebuild trust between consumers and the public service.