Export
Exporting manganese and other mining products
Manganese is Gabon's main mining export, as ore, silicomanganese and manganese metal. Holders of an exploitation permit or concession export their output freely; other operators need an authorisation from the minister in charge of mines. Precious substances require a certificate of origin from the mining ministry. Bulk shipments are weighed by customs and an export duty applies to manganese and gold. Extractive companies domicile their exports worth at least 10 million FCFA with their bank and repatriate the proceeds to CEMAC, at a rate of 50% from 2027 and 70% from 2028 according to the BEAC.
- Steps
- 6
- Total indicative delay
- At least 1 day
- 5 steps without a published delay
- Indicative
- Total indicative cost
- 2,500 FCFA to 3,500 FCFA
- plus 6 proportional or variable fees
- Official amounts
- Last validation
- 22 September 2026
- Version 2
- Responsible institution
- Ministry of Mines and Geological Resources
- Freshness
- Up to date
Steps
-
Hold a mining title or obtain an export authorisation
What to do
The mining code (law no. 037/2018 of 11 June 2019) and its implementing decree allow free export for companies holding an exploitation permit or concession for the product concerned. In other cases an export authorisation from the minister in charge of mines is required. The state company Société équatoriale des mines (SEM) markets the production shares due to the State.
- Institution
- Ministry of Mines and Geological Resources
- Channel
- At the counter
- Delay
- Not published
- Fees
-
- Not published
-
Obtain the certificate of origin for precious substances
What to do
Exports of gold, diamonds and other precious substances require a certificate of origin issued by the ministry in charge of mines and a customs endorsement. The 2023 WTO report gives two different amounts for this certificate (1,000,000 FCFA for diamonds and 500,000 FCFA for other substances in one section, 50,000 FCFA and 25,000 FCFA in another); the fee should be confirmed with the ministry.
- Institution
- Ministry of Mines and Geological Resources
- Channel
- At the counter
- Delay
- Not published
- Fees
-
- Conflicting amounts in sources, to be confirmed
-
Have the bulk cargo weighed
What to do
The DGDDI specific controls directorate weighs merchant ships to determine the quantities exported in bulk, in particular in the minerals sector, in order to establish their value.
- Channel
- At the counter
- Delay
- Not published
- Fees
-
- Not published
-
Domicile the export with the bank and repatriate the proceeds
What to do
Resident extractive companies, as defined by Regulation No. 01/21/CEMAC/UMAC/CM of 23 December 2021, fall under BEAC Instruction No. 002/GR/2022 of February 2022, which replaces Instruction No. 006/GR/2019 for them (article 2); their subcontractors and transporters, as defined in article 1, are excluded. Any export of goods or services by an extractive company worth at least 10 million FCFA is domiciled (article 4), except for the exemptions in article 5 (ship and aircraft supplies, samples, reusable packaging, gifts to a foreign State). Domiciliation is made with the credit institution holding the account, within 15 days of the export (article 7). The file contains the export declaration following the annexed template, the invoice or pro forma invoice, the contract or purchase order and the bill of lading where applicable, and the tax identification number (article 8); the foreign exchange undertaking is not listed. Proceeds are repatriated to CEMAC within 150 days at most (article 12). Instruction No. 001/GR/2026 of 23 April 2026 raises the rate at which extractive companies must repatriate foreign currency to CEMAC, payments in kind included, to 50% from 1 January 2027 and 70% from 1 January 2028; amounts set aside for site rehabilitation funds are not covered. Other exporters of mining products follow Instruction No. 006/GR/2019: domiciliation with a foreign exchange undertaking for exports outside CEMAC worth at least 5 million FCFA, unless exempted (articles 1, 6, 13 and 18).
- Channel
- At the counter
- Delay
- Extractive companies: domiciliation within 15 days of export; other exporters: before customs clearance. Repatriation within 150 days at most in both cases
- Fees
-
- Extractive companies: single domiciliation fee of at most 100,000 FCFA per transaction, transfer charges included (BEAC Instruction No. 002/GR/2022, art. 7)
- Other exporters: not published (bank charges set by each bank)
-
Obtain the BIETC from the Gabonese Shippers' Council
What to do
The exporter records the shipment on the BIETC platform of the Gabonese Shippers' Council (CGC). The note covers outbound freight by sea, air and road and supports the freight traffic monitoring set up by ordinance no. 009/PR/2014 of 20 August 2014.
- Institution
- Gabonese Shippers' Council (CGC)
- Channel
- Online or at the counter
- Location
- Gabonese Shippers' Council office in Owendo (filing of documents)
- Delay
- Not published; for air freight the document is released on arrival after checks and payment
- Fees
-
- Export BIETC, all zones and modes (WTO 2023, CGC) 2,500 FCFA Official
- Express freight export supplement (WTO 2023) 1,000 FCFA Official
-
File the detailed export declaration in ASYCUDA World
What to do
A licensed customs broker files the detailed declaration in ASYCUDA World (SYDONIA World), with the sanitary or phytosanitary certificate and the certificate of origin when the importing country requires them. A simplified export declaration (DESE) is available to some exporters. Manganese and gold bear an export duty; other ores do not according to the WTO (2023).
- Channel
- Online or at the counter
- Location
- Customs headquarters, 823 avenue Nelson Mandela, Oloumi industrial zone, Libreville, and customs offices at the port, airport and land borders
- Delay
- Average customs processing time for exports of 24 hours according to the authorities (WTO 2023) Official
- Fees
-
- Manganese export duty: 3.5% of the reference value according to the WTO (2023), 3% according to the DGDDI; 1% cap under the 2019 mining code according to the WTO. Applicable rate to be confirmed
- Gold export duty, 1% to 3% depending on grade and mining agreement
- Documents
Process diagram (BPMN)
The diagram cannot be displayed: the BPMN file is invalid.
Documents to prepare
Tick each document as you go. Official templates can be downloaded when they exist.
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Title granted under the mining code; its holder may freely export the substances extracted.
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Authorisation from the minister in charge of mines required to export mining products when the exporter holds no exploitation permit or concession.
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Certificate issued by the ministry in charge of mines for exports of gold, diamonds and other precious substances, with customs endorsement.
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Undertaking by which the exporter commits to repatriate the export proceeds to CEMAC and to sell the foreign currency to the domiciliation bank, following the template annexed to BEAC Instruction No. 006/GR/2019. It is part of the domicilia...
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Supplier invoice showing the transaction value, the basis for customs value.
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Transport document for the goods (bill of lading, air waybill or consignment note depending on the mode).
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Proof of the international transport cost, required by customs and for the BIETC.
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Detailed list of packages, their contents and weight.
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Written declaration lodged in ASYCUDA World by a licensed customs broker, assigning a customs procedure to imported or exported goods (articles 145 onwards of the CEMAC customs code).
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Electronic tracking document for international and domestic freight issued by the Gabonese Shippers' Council, required by customs for sea and air imports and also charged on exports.
Fees
| Step | Fee | Amount | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Not published | Not published | Variable | |
| 2 | Conflicting amounts in sources, to be confirmed | Not published | ||
| 3 | Not published | Not published | Variable | |
| 4 | Extractive companies: single domiciliation fee of at most 100,000 FCFA per transaction, transfer charges included (BEAC Instruction No. 002/GR/2022, art. 7) | Not published | Variable | |
| 4 | Other exporters: not published (bank charges set by each bank) | Not published | Variable | |
| 5 | Export BIETC, all zones and modes (WTO 2023, CGC) | 2,500 FCFA | Fixed amount | Official |
| 5 | Express freight export supplement (WTO 2023) | 1,000 FCFA | Fixed amount | Official |
| 6 | Manganese export duty: 3.5% of the reference value according to the WTO (2023), 3% according to the DGDDI; 1% cap under the 2019 mining code according to the WTO. Applicable rate to be confirmed | Not published | Percentage | |
| 6 | Gold export duty, 1% to 3% depending on grade and mining agreement | Not published | Percentage |
Amounts marked "official" are taken from official publications or international institutions, cited in the sources of this sheet. See the sources
Legal basis
-
Code
Mining code -
Regulation
CEMAC customs code -
Regulation
Regulation on foreign exchange in CEMAC
Related procedures
Ask a question about this procedure
The assistant answers from the procedures and texts published on the portal, with sources.
Sources
7 sources cited
- Examen des politiques commerciales des pays de la CEMAC, rapport du Secrétariat, annexe 3 Gabon (WT/TPR/S/445, 16 août 2023) (opens in a new tab)
- La fiscalité douanière (copie archivée de douanes.ga) (opens in a new tab)
- Département des contrôles spécifiques (copie archivée de douanes.ga) (opens in a new tab)
- BIETC aérien (opens in a new tab)
- Instruction n° 006/GR/2019 du 10 juin 2019 précisant les conditions et modalités de déclaration, domiciliation des exportations de biens et services et de rapatriement dans la CEMAC des recettes afférentes (opens in a new tab)
- Instruction n° 002/GR/2022 précisant les conditions et modalités de déclaration, de domiciliation, de rapatriement et d'apurement des exportations de biens et services des entreprises extractives résidentes (opens in a new tab)
- Instruction n° 001/GR/2026 du 23 avril 2026 portant relèvement progressif du taux de rapatriement des devises issues des activités des entreprises extractives dans la CEMAC (opens in a new tab)
