Transport
From The Report: Gabon 2015
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With improvements to the road, rail, shipping and aviation networks a key goal, Gabon’s transport sector is undergoing a major transformation. While population pressure is modest, existing links are limited: the two largest cities, Libreville and Port-Gentil, had, until work began on one recently, no road connection. Beyond improving internal connectivity and expanding capacity at international gateways such as the Port of Owendo and Libreville’s airport, the projects are also part of the Emerging Gabon Strategic Plan, which aims to boost activity in the industrial and services sectors. The government’s focus will bring increasing opportunities for private sector involvement, in part due to budgetary constraints following the drop in oil prices.

This chapter includes interviews with Rigobert Ikambouayat Ndeka, Managing Director, Office of Ports and Harbours of Gabon (OPRAG); and Patrick Claes, Managing Director, Setrag.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

A time of transformation: Expanding and improving infrastructure to facilitate growth
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With improvements to the road, rail, shipping and aviation networks a key government goal, Gabon’s transport sector is undergoing a major transformation. While population pressure is modest, with around 1.7m people in the country, existing links are limited; the two largest cities, Libreville and Port-Gentil, had, until work began on one recently, no road connection. Beyond improving internal connectivity and expanding capacity at international gateways such as the Port of Owendo and Libreville’s…

Interview

OBG talks to Rigobert Ikambouayat Ndeka, Managing Director, Office of Ports and Harbours of Gabon (OPRAG): Interview
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Interview: Rigobert Ikambouayat Ndeka How will maritime transport change over the coming years in terms of volumes and goods? RIGOBERT IKAMBOUAYAT NDEKA: Port activity in Gabon revolves around bulk shipping for raw oil, and mining and forestry products, as well as containerised shipping. With a current output of 230,000 barrels per day (bpd), oil production has decreased from 12.1m tonnes in 2011 to 11m tonnes in 2014. Based on current trends, oil production will keep decreasing in 2015 unless…

Interview

OBG talks to Patrick Claes, Managing Director, Setrag: Interview
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Interview: Patrick Claes What measures are being taken to upgrade and improve Gabon’s current railway capacity? PATRICK CLAES: The Transgabonais currently offers eight to nine daily commercial train slots, which is below the 16 daily slots the network could potentially accommodate. The main reason for this gap is the ageing infrastructure, which restricts the speed of traffic. Setrag is committed to restoring the Transgabonais’s maximum capacity in the coming six to eight years. We have been…

Analysis

Connecting the dots: A new project will finally link the main cities of Libreville and Port-Gentil by road
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Transport in Gabon is in the midst of a major transformation as authorities work to improve the quality and availability of infrastructure to link the country’s transport systems. One of the most notable of these initiatives is the construction of a new road that will effectively link Gabon’s second-biggest city and economic hub, Port-Gentil, to the capital, Libreville, and to the country’s main road network. Port-Gentil has one of the most important ports in the country and it is also the…

Analysis

Filling the gap: External financing helps to support infrastructure development
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Africa’s economies have posted impressive growth rates in recent years, giving rise to the narrative of “Africa Rising”. The continent’s GDP growth of roughly 5% annually comes in spite of its lack of infrastructure, but the deficit cuts growth by an estimated two percentage points and productivity by 40%, according to the World Bank. According to an assessment by the African Development Bank, there is an infrastructure deficit of $90bn annually; only around $45bn is financed currently (66%…