The Emerging Gabon Strategic Plan (PSGE), formulated in 2012, had a primary policy goal to transform Gabon into an emerging economy by 2025. The policy’s objectives for infrastructure are divided into four sub-sectors: Water, Energy, Transport, and ICT.
- Water and Sanitation
Objective: To ensure access to safe drinking water and sanitation services in Gabon by 2025.
Outcome: Overall, the water sector in Gabon has seen an improvement. The percentage of Gabon’s population with access to basic water services has increased from 84% in 2012 to 87% in 2022. Also, access to basic sanitation services has increased from 47% of its population in 2012 to 50% of its population in 2022. (The World Bank). In addition, the rural-urban gap for access to safe drinking water sources in Gabon has been reduced by 10% between 2012 and 2022. (Our World in Data)
Notable Mention: The Libreville Integrated Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Programme, was launched by the Gabon government in 2018 as part of its PSGE implementation efforts. This programme is funded by loans from multilateral institutions and has provided over 20,000 citizens with access to drinking water. (AfDB, 2024)
- Energy
Objective: to develop sustainable, diverse, and accessible electricity for Gabon
Outcome: Generally, the share of the population with access to electricity in Gabon has increased from approximately 89% in 2012 to over 93% in 2022 (Our World in Data). However, there has not been significant progress regarding diversity and sustainability of electricity sources in Gabon since 2012. There were (4) major sources from which electricity was generated in Gabon in 2012. These are: gas, hydropower, oil, and bioenergy. Since 2012, there has been no further diversification of electricity sources in Gabon. (Our World in Data, 2024)
Also, regarding sustainability of electricity, the share of electricity produced from renewables in Gabon has slightly decreased from 42.13% in 2012 to 42.03% in 2022, thereby indicating a decline in the development of sustainable electricity in Gabon. (Our World in Data, 2024)
Notable Mention: Nevertheless, since 2021, the Gabonese government has intensified efforts to increase sustainability and diversification of electricity by partnering with private companies to build solar power plants at Ayémé, Ndjolé, and Oyem communities in Gabon. (Africa Energy Portal)
- Transport
Objective: to modernise Gabon’s transport infrastructure
Outcome: Trans’Urb, the public transport company for Gabon, which was established by the Gabonese government in 2020 contributed to the increased procurement of buses for public transport thereby improving road traffic. In 2024, the Gabonese government undertook many initiatives to further improve the public transportation system in Gabon including the Taxi Gab+ project which launched 417 taxis. (Ministère des Transports, de la Marine Marchande et de la Mer, 2024)
Notable Mention: Gabon has been collaborating with the Czech Republic to rehabilitate its airports and build more railway lines, such as the Belinga-Mayumba route. (Gabon Review, 2024)
- ICT
Objective: to build world-class digital infrastructure in Gabon.
Outcome: The share of the population using the internet in Gabon has risen from 24% in 2012 to over 74% in 2022 (Our World in Data). This reflects the intense efforts by the Gabonese government to improve accessibility for its digital infrastructure plans.
Notable Mention: The e-Gabon project for health services and the Learning Passport online platform for primary education in Gabon are examples of the government’s efforts since 2012 to build digital infrastructure in Gabon.
Overall, the Gabonese government has made significant strides to actualise its PSGE policy through infrastructure projects and initiatives. However, most of the government projects in fulfillment of Gabon’s PSGE policy started from 2018. Between 2012, when the policy was formulated and 2018, the government was relatively passive about policy implementation and only began to make progress as the deadline drew closer. Going forward, it is important for the government to identify the factors contributing to delays in the actualisation of its policy plans to ensure quicker implementation and better results. This is particularly relevant in light of the upcoming elections in April 2025 as Gabon faces a pivotal decision of returning to full civilian rule or reinforcing the Transitional Military government by voting for their candidate in the upcoming elections. Following a 55-year history of military rule, it is clear that these upcoming elections have remarkable significance for the political system of Gabon and it remains to be seen how this change will affect infrastructure development and the actualisation of infrastructure policies in Gabon.