In a candid interview on 24 June 2026, President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema firmly addressed Gabon’s heavy reliance on food imports. The head of state unveiled an ambitious, detailed battle plan with a clear goal: restore the country’s agricultural self-sufficiency by 2030.

The starting point is stark and amounts to an admission of past failures. Currently, Gabon imports 80% of what it consumes—a situation the president calls an outright “aberration.” How did a nation spanning 270,000 km², with exceptional and largely underutilised arable land, reach this point?

To reverse the trend, Libreville is now betting on renewed political will and massive investment. The aim is to break definitively with inertia.

The 2027 shock: local meat, milk and chicken

To realise this ambition, the presidency is going on the offensive with concrete short- and medium-term measures. The first phase involves restructuring the national livestock sector by introducing 12,000 head of cattle to boost the meat and dairy industries.

But the poultry sector is set for a major shake-up. The government has decreed a shock measure: a total ban on imported broiler chicken from 1 January 2027. To cushion the impact, a robust support programme will be rolled out to assist local poultry farmers. At the same time, the authorities plan the systematic development of food crops in every province, so each region contributes to the food war effort.

25 billion FCFA for human capital

Goodwill alone is not enough; this transition will rely on training in new farming technologies and unprecedented financial backing. Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema announced the creation of a special 25-billion-FCFA fund within the Bank for Commerce and Entrepreneurship of Gabon (BCEG). This financial lever will be entirely dedicated to farmers, poultry keepers and fishers.

“Gabon has the means to feed itself. What was missing was political will and investment. We are putting both on the table,” the president declared.

The ultimate ambition is dizzying: reduce Gabon’s food dependence by 50% by 2030. A titanic challenge that, if met, will durably transform the country’s economy and sovereignty.

By Mariama Hamani — Analyst