More Filters
There were 603 results found for:

All Regions and All Sectors

Overview

Steady goes it: Political and social stability provide a strong basis for growth
OBG
plus

Gabon’s position as one of the most politically stable countries in Central Africa provides it a solid base for economic growth. Like many sub-Saharan countries, Gabon still faces challenges related to transparency and efficient governance but successive presidential transitions have been relatively smooth. The ruling Gabonese Democratic Party ( Parti Démocratique Gabonais, PDG) continues to eke…

Overview

The country’s sound economy is an example for sub-Saharan Africa
OBG
plus

Classified by the World Bank as an upper-middle income country, Gabon enjoys an average per capita income – estimated at €8950 in 2013 – that is far higher than the sub-Saharan Africa developing country average of €1212. Oil revenues have sustained the economy, accounting for 56% of total revenues and 80% of total exports by value, according to US Energy Information Administration (EIA) statistics…

Overview

As production drops at older oil fields, exploration efforts are increasing
OBG
plus

Gabon is the fifth-largest oil producer in sub-Saharan Africa and oil dominates the economy, accounting for roughly half of state revenues and more than 80% of export revenues. Over the last decade, however, output has declined as the country’s larger oil fields mature, prompting Gabon to encourage activity in smaller blocks expand offshore exploration in new blocks, and continue redeveloping existing…

Overview

Expanding domestic production to aid economic diversification efforts and reduce food imports
OBG
plus

With a tropical climate and arable land to spare, Gabon has significant potential to expand agriculture, yet the sector remains largely underdeveloped. At present production is dominated by cassava and plantain, the output of which reached 300,000 tonnes and 285,000 tonnes, respectively, in 2012. The World Bank estimates that value-added agriculture contributed 4% of GDP in 2012, down from 5% in 2009.…

Overview

Penetration and lending increase in a vastly underserved market
OBG
plus

As a bastion of liquidity within the financially turbulent Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (Communauté Économique des États de l’Afrique Centrale, CEMAC), Gabon competes head-on with the more populous Cameroon for the title of regional banking centre. While its lenders enjoy a cash surplus – total bank credit of CFA2.4trn (€3.6bn) accounted for 23.3% of GDP in 2013 – banking…

Overview

Insurance premiums are rising quickly despite a limited client base
OBG
plus

Home to 1.63m people, Gabon has one of the most dynamic insurance markets in Central and West Africa. Although personal lines are beginning to expand, sector development has been driven by large-scale industrial operations. The domestic financial sector does not have the capacity to fully underwrite major industrial and transport risks, but operators circumvent this through fronting agreements in which…

Overview

Activity is picking up on the nascent regional exchange
OBG
plus

The regional stock exchange based in Gabon is beginning to see an uptick in activity. Since the first listing in 2008, the market has been dominated by bonds. This is in part a result of factors common across most African economies: limited transparency among eligible corporates, for example, and a preference to avoid diluting ownership – both of which limit the number of firms willing to list. Gabon…

Overview

A host of infrastructure projects are aimed at boosting connectivity
OBG
plus

Transport and logistics in Gabon are in the midst of a major transformation. The condition and availability of infrastructure have long been a stumbling block – in particular, the shortage of paved roads, which in effect cuts off much of the country’s interior from the capital and other key cities, especially during the rainy season. Congestion at its ports, too, has been a problem for many years,…

Overview

High returns: Demand is driving growth in key segments like affordable housing
OBG
plus

In many ways, Gabon would seem like a natural fit for a high-turnover residential market, particularly in the middle- and upper-income segments, given that the country has one of the highest levels of GDP per capita based on purchasing power parity in sub-Saharan Africa. However, Gabon also grapples with a traditionally low saving rate, issues with credit transparency and limited financial inclusion,…

Overview

The focus shifts from sporting facilities to infrastructure and future development
OBG
plus

For two years after the spate of frenzied construction in the run-up to the Africa Cup of Nations (Coupe d’Afrique des Nations, CAN), Gabon’s contractors and developers saw a comparative slowdown in activity, as focus shifted away from stadiums and tourism infrastructure to housing, roads and mixed-use developments. The construction sector – supported by the Infrastructure Master Plan, which…