Gabon

One of the most biodiverse countries in West Africa, Gabon’s forests cover around 85% of the country’s territory and are home to more than 3000 different species of vegetation and at least 190 species of mammals, including forest elephants and hippopotamuses. As of 2015 the country had 23.6m ha of forests, according to a recent study by the...

As part of the government’s plans to promote value addition under the Industrial Gabon pillar of the Emerging Gabon Strategic Plan, the processing of minerals has seen some key developments. President Ali Bongo Ondimba announced a decision in mid-2016 to ban raw material exports by 2020, suggesting that even minerals would have to undergo some...

In 2015 Gabon’s tourism sector directly supported 4000 jobs, accounting for 1% of total employment, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council. With the rollout of the National Tourism Strategy (Stratégie Nationale du Tourisme, SNT) 2015-25, authorities expect the tourism sector to create around 20,000 jobs by 2025, an ambitious goal...

In line with its peers around the continent, Gabon’s telecoms sector is well developed and competitive, with 4G coverage and an overall penetration rate in excess of 100%. The industry is due for a shake-up in the near term, however, with the upcoming acquisition of one of the country’s four mobile operators by a fellow competitor. The merger...

Since it was passed in May 2009, the new general tax code has been regularly modified through finance bills to provide a modernised framework, notably complemented by tax and Customs incentives for strategic sectors of activity.

In a bid to diversify Gabon’s economy away from hydrocarbons, the government has been looking to boost the tourism sector as a means to generate foreign currency, create jobs and promote social and economic development across the country. According to the World Travel & Tourism Council, in 2015 the total (direct and indirect) contribution...