Gabon

Following a sharp drop since mid-2014 in the international price of oil, which is by far Gabon’s biggest source of export and fiscal revenues, the country is in the midst of a significant oil price shock. However, the government is better placed to avoid a pro-cyclical response than in previous oil crises, and the financial sector appears to...

What effect has Gabon’s log export ban had?

When the ban on timber exports was enacted in 2010, operators and experts in the field voiced strong concerns over the adjustment period within the moratorium, stating that the forestry sector was not sufficiently prepared for such sudden and radical changes. The moratorium brought in its wake various drawbacks, with lasting results still...

As with many African property markets, Gabon has seen its different subsectors evolve in very different ways. Gabon has an estimated housing deficit of 200,000, concentrated on middle- and low-income earners, but there is a growing oversupply in the high-end segment. Despite empty units, high-end property remains expensive, especially in the...

With a new urgency in the wake of falling oil prices, Gabon is in the midst of a significant overhaul of its transport infrastructure, rolling out a series of new projects to accelerate diversification efforts. Several of the investments – which include a new port and road upgrades – are scheduled for completion by the end of 2016. When...

The launch of a new grain processing facility and oil palm plantation mark the latest steps forward for the agro-industrial sector in Gabon. With low oil prices constraining the country’s largest source of export revenues and slowing headline growth, the Gabonese government has sought to accelerate economic diversification through the Emerging...