As Gabon’s economy has remained stagnant below the 5% growth mark for the past decade, President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema has announced a historic break from the country’s rentier model.

In an interview on 24 June 2026, he outlined a strategic roadmap to revitalise the nation.

Breaking free from the rent illusion

The head of state’s diagnosis of Gabon’s economic lethargy is clear: “Gabon has lived on a rentier model that does not generate growth, let alone inclusive growth.”

Pointing to the raw export of oil and manganese, the president highlighted a major economic absurdity: “Exporting raw materials means exporting our jobs.”

Three pillars of a new economic era

To correct this trajectory and build a strong, job-creating economy, the president’s strategy rests on three fundamental pillars:

1. Systematic industrialisation through local processing of raw materials.
2. Economic diversification, with a strong focus on agriculture and services.
3. Improving the business climate to create an attractive environment for investment.

The PNCD 2026-2030: The recovery tool

This vision is materialised through an ambitious programme: the National Growth and Development Plan (PNCD) 2026-2030. This action plan aims to boost the country’s growth rate to an unprecedented level of between 6% and 7%.

The PNCD targets strategic and promising sectors: manganese processing, development of poultry and cattle farming, expansion of digital services, and valorisation of Gabon’s forest wealth on carbon markets.

“Gabon has the resources. What was lacking was governance. We have restored it,” stated Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema.

By linking economic ambition with the return of rigorous governance, the president intends to position Gabon among the most dynamic nations on the continent by 2030.

By Boureima Amadou — Reporter