• Gabon plans to overhaul railway's ownership and revenue model
• Government to enforce direct payment of rail revenue to state
• Reforms include new tolls, weight controls, and revised freight rules

Gabon’s President, Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, met with senior executives from Setrag and the Eramet group last weekend to discuss a major overhaul of the national railway’s business model and governance structure.

According to the presidency, talks centered on revising the state’s equity stake and putting in place systems to ensure that revenue generated by railway operations is properly collected by the government.

The discussions follow a three-party agreement signed on Nov. 24, 2025, with France and the French Development Agency (AFD) to fund the Trans-Gabon Railway Modernization and Security Program.

“Given the scale of investments made to rehabilitate and modernize the railway, the state’s stake must be reviewed to rebalance public investment and corporate governance,” the presidency said.

The government argues that despite Setrag’s strategic role in transporting manganese ore and passengers, the company does not contribute to the national budget. Authorities now intend to ensure that revenue owed to the state is paid directly into the public treasury as part of efforts to strengthen transparency and governance.

Additional reforms are being considered to improve the network’s performance and curb market-dominance abuses. Measures under review include introducing rail access charges at the entry of each province along the line, installing weighing stations to limit wagon overloading, and revising freight-handling rules to encourage competition and improve logistics.

An interministerial working group will be created to revisit the agreement between the state and Setrag and update its amendments to clarify obligations and align the legal framework with the railway’s modernization plans.

Henoc Dossa