• Gabon’s economy grew 3.1% in 2024 despite a heavy debt load at 73.4% of GDP.
• The country needs $1.18 billion annually to fund infrastructure, energy, and education by 2030 but has covered only 14.6% of this.
• Gabon launches a $17.7 billion investment plan targeting 10% medium-term growth, funded by PPPs, bonds, and green finance.

Gabon’s economy expanded by 3.1% in 2024, despite carrying debt equal to 73.4% of its GDP. The African Development Bank’s (AfDB) 2025 Country Report warns Gabon must raise about $1.18 billion each year to drive structural transformation and match top developing countries by 2030.

Most of the funding—72.2%—will support infrastructure development. Energy and education require 12% and 11.1% of the funds respectively. However, Gabon’s efforts to mobilize domestic resources remain weak. So far, the country has met only 14.6% of its annual financing needs, leaving an unmet gap close to $1 billion.

The AfDB cautions that Gabon would need to increase its tax revenue by 4.5 percentage points—from the current 11.9% of GDP to around 16.4%—to close this gap through fiscal means. Gabon’s tax haul remains notably low compared to neighboring countries such as Namibia (30.5%), South Africa (24.9%), and Botswana (22.9%).

To tackle these challenges, the Gabonese government unveiled a CFA10,000 billion ($17.7 billion) National Growth and Development Plan (PNCD) covering 2026 to 2030. “Growth of 2 or 3% no longer meets our needs, given population growth, inflation, and social demands,” said Henri Claude Oyima, Gabon’s Minister for the Economy and Finance. “Our clear goal is to reach 10% growth in the medium term.”

Gabon plans to finance this ambitious plan using public-private partnerships (PPPs), issuing sovereign bonds, and tapping into green and climate financing. The government intends to leverage Gabon’s solid credit reputation to attract lenders and investors.

This article was initially published in French by Sandrine Gaigne

Edited in French by Ange Jason Quenum