Gabon illustrates one of the widest gaps between resource wealth and living standards in Sub-Saharan Africa. Although the country's GDP per capita stands at around $9,000, supported by oil production, manganese exports, and timber resources, more than one-third of the population lives below the poverty line. Youth unemployment remains above 35%, while infrastructure and public services continue to fall short of the country's economic potential. For more than five decades under the Bongo family, Gabon generated substantial revenues from its natural resources. However, critics argued that much of this wealth failed to translate into broad-based economic development. Allegations of corruption, weak governance, and the concentration of wealth among a narrow political elite became defining features of the country's economic model.
Following the military takeover in August 2023, General Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema pledged to tackle corruption and strengthen state oversight of strategic sectors. After being elected president in 2025, his administration continued those efforts, expanding financial audits, reviewing government contracts, and investigating the management of state-owned enterprises, including Gabon Oil Company (GOC). Authorities also seized cash and other assets linked to senior figures from the previous administration. According to the government, part of the recovered assets has been allocated to road rehabilitation, public transportation, and other public infrastructure projects. One of the first major economic decisions following the August 2023 change of power came in early 2024, when the authorities moved to acquire Assala Energy, Gabon's second-largest oil producer. The company had initially been expected to be purchased by France's Maurel & Prom, but Libreville exercised its right of first refusal and completed the $1.3 billion acquisition through state-owned GOC with financing from an international banking consortium. The transaction placed production of approximately 40,000 barrels of oil per day under state ownership and was presented as part of a broader policy to increase the share of hydrocarbon revenues retained for domestic development. Despite these measures, Gabon's structural economic challenges remain significant. The economy continues to depend heavily on hydrocarbons, while food imports account for a large share of domestic consumption. Outside the extractive industries, the private sector remains relatively small, leaving the country vulnerable to fluctuations in global commodity prices.
The long-term impact of the government's reforms will depend not only on increasing public control over strategic assets, but also on whether higher resource revenues can support stronger institutions, encourage private investment, improve public services, and create sustainable jobs. While recent policies mark a clear shift from the country's previous economic approach, narrowing the gap between Gabon's resource wealth and living standards remains one of the administration's most difficult tasks.
