• Gabon proposes $13B budget for 2026, up 72% from 2025
• Shift to zero-based budgeting to prioritize impactful spending
• Budget supports economic reforms amid slowing growth forecasts

The Gabonese government is proposing a budget of approximately 7.23 trillion CFA francs ($13 billion) for 2026, a significant 72% increase over the 2025 budget of 4.20 trillion CFA francs, according to a cabinet meeting communique released Monday, September 8, 2025.

The draft budget marks a major shift by adopting a "zero-based" budgeting method. Unlike previous practices where some expenses were automatically renewed, this approach requires every expenditure to be fully justified and prioritized based on its expected impact on economic and social development.

Budgetary spending will be primarily allocated to investments, followed by public debt obligations and personnel expenses. The budget aligns with the presidential agenda, which aims to lay the groundwork for a deep economic transformation.

This presidential plan is built on six key pillars: electricity, water, and sector reforms; youth entrepreneurship and employment; housing and transport and digital infrastructure; human capital and social justice; the economy and sustainable development; and governance and institutions.

The proposed budget increase comes as the World Bank forecasts a slowdown in Gabon's economic growth for the 2025-2027 period. In its latest report, the bank projects an average annual growth rate of 2.4%, down from the 2.9% expected in 2024, primarily due to the oil sector. The Gabonese government, however, projects a growth rate of 7.9% for 2026.

The approved budget for 2026 is balanced at $12.8 billion, with a projected financing need of $5.7 billion.

Ingrid Haffiny (Intern)