According to Gabonmediatime, citing a Reuters report, the Gabonese State signed a 1 billion dollar prefinancing agreement with Trafigura on Wednesday 15 April 2026, equivalent to about 610 billion CFA francs, with a seven-year maturity. Repayment is based on future crude oil deliveries.
The Ministry of Economy and Finance, quoted in the article, said the funds are intended to strengthen the Treasury's cash position and foreign exchange reserves, and will be used exclusively to finance investment programmes and the social needs of the population.
For the duration of the contract, Trafigura will be the exclusive buyer of the State's profit oil, the share of net production that accrues to the State once operators have recovered their costs. Also according to Gabonmediatime, the authorities stated that no guarantee or security was taken over the cargoes. The oil used for repayment will come from several production sharing contracts. The transaction was structured with Algest Consulting, and Trafigura has started to syndicate part of its exposure to international banks.
