Gabon Industry

The natural richesse of Gabon is not limited to oil and gas, and the country is turning to mining to help diversify away from its reliance on hydrocarbons, which still represent 45% of GDP and 80% of export receipts. The African Development Bank estimated that in 2012 that the mining sector contributed 6.3% of GDP and 6% of exports, though estimates from the Ministry of...

As in most sub-Saharan markets, the retail sector has traditionally been dominated by small grocery stores, markets and street sellers in Gabon. However, large-scale retailing took off in the 1990s and continues to expand, thanks in large part to not only headline growth rates, but also to rising household consumption among middle and upper-middle class segments, where...

Like many countries in Africa, Gabon’s economy has largely developed on the back of its natural resources, primarily oil, minerals and timber. Most of these are still exported in raw form, bringing limited economic benefit to the country. However, the industrial sector – and the revenues and jobs it creates – is a focal point for the government’s development plans, with...