Industry and processing
Timber and wood processing
Forest covers more than 90% of Gabon's territory. Since the 2010 ban on log exports, all output must be processed locally, which has multiplied sawmilling, peeling and plywood units, particularly in the Nkok special economic zone. After several years of growth, the sector contracted sharply in 2025 because of weak Chinese demand.
- Area under forest management
- 12.7million hectares (97 concessions)
- Wood processing units
- 197units, 70 of them at Nkok
- Timber processed in the Nkok zone
- 1million m³
Detailed sources in the key figures below.
Key figures
Timber sector key figures
Area under forest management
12.7 million hectares (97 concessions)
2019
Wood processing units
197 units, 70 of them at Nkok
2020
Sawnwood production
801,000 m³
2017
Veneer production
271,000 m³
2017
Plywood production
64,000 m³
2017
Wood industry activity
-23.7 % year on year
2025
Log production
-8.2 % year on year
2025
FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified forest area
more than 2.4 million hectares
2025
New FSC certification (Exploitation Gabonaise de Grumes)
256,683 hectares (EGG Rouge and EGG Vert units, Ogooué-Lolo and Haut-Ogooué)
mai 2025
Processed wood exports
1,378,692 m³ (+53% since 2018)
2022
Sawnwood production
1,205,000 m³
2024
Veneer sheets production
610,000 m³
2024
Plywood and laminated veneer lumber (LVL) production
110,000 m³
2024
Statistical series
Veneer and sawn wood exports
1,646.1 1000 m³
2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAOSTAT)
Forest area (% of land area)
91.2 %
2023
Source: World Bank
Forest rents
2.6 % of GDP
2021
Source: World Bank
Locations
- Province
- Estuaire
Source: OCHA / Institut national de cartographie du Gabon (CC BY-IGO)
Provinces of the listed sites: special economic zone.
Trends
From log exports to local processing
Announced on 5 November 2009 and applied since 15 May 2010, the log export ban required operators to process all timber in Gabon. The number of mills rose from 82 in 2009 to 162 in 2017-2018, then to 197 in 2020, 70 of them in the Nkok special economic zone near Libreville. Sawnwood accounts for more than 70% of industrial output and more than 85% of it is exported; China takes over 40% of wood product exports and Europe about 30%.
Launched in 2010 and managed by Gabon Special Economic Zone (GSEZ), part of the Arise IIP group, the Nkok zone covers 1,126 hectares and hosts 144 companies from 16 countries, 84 of them in the wood cluster. About one million cubic metres of timber were processed there in 2023. Other zones followed, such as Ikolo (2021) and Mpassa-Lebombi (2022). GSEZ holds Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification.
A sharp decline in 2025
According to the Directorate General for the Economy and Fiscal Policy (DGEPF), wood industry activity fell 23.7% in 2025. Sawnwood dropped 28.3% and veneer 25%, while plywood rose 2.9%. The DGEPF attributes the decline to the property crisis in China, competition from Brazilian pine sold at about half the price of okoumé, pressure from other tropical species and unstable power supply to mills. Log production fell 8.2% over the year, with a 40.3% drop in the fourth quarter due to the rainy season, a shortage of rail wagons and weaker demand at Nkok.
The sector had already been hit in 2023 by rail disruptions, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). For 2026-2028 the World Bank expects a recovery in global timber demand to support growth, and notes plans to raise export duties on wood products.
Forest cover
Forest area, % of land area
Forest area (% of land area) (Gabon) went from 92.2% in 1990 to 91.2% in 2023.
| Period | Forest area (% of land area) (%) |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 92.2 |
| 1991 | 92.2 |
| 1992 | 92.2 |
| 1993 | 92.1 |
| 1994 | 92.1 |
| 1995 | 92.1 |
| 1996 | 92.1 |
| 1997 | 92.0 |
| 1998 | 92.0 |
| 1999 | 92.0 |
| 2000 | 92.0 |
| 2001 | 92.0 |
| 2002 | 91.9 |
| 2003 | 91.9 |
| 2004 | 91.9 |
| 2005 | 91.9 |
| 2006 | 91.9 |
| 2007 | 91.8 |
| 2008 | 91.8 |
| 2009 | 91.8 |
| 2010 | 91.8 |
| 2011 | 91.7 |
| 2012 | 91.7 |
| 2013 | 91.6 |
| 2014 | 91.6 |
| 2015 | 91.6 |
| 2016 | 91.5 |
| 2017 | 91.5 |
| 2018 | 91.4 |
| 2019 | 91.4 |
| 2020 | 91.3 |
| 2021 | 91.3 |
| 2022 | 91.2 |
| 2023 | 91.2 |
Veneer and sawn wood exports
Veneer and sawn wood exports (Gabon) went from 352.9 1000 m³ in 2010 to 1,646.1 1000 m³ in 2024. The highest value was reached in 2022 (1,715.6 1000 m³).
| Period | Veneer and sawn wood exports (1000 m³) |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 352.9 |
| 2011 | 610.2 |
| 2012 | 546.3 |
| 2013 | 520.3 |
| 2014 | 560.7 |
| 2015 | 638.9 e |
| 2016 | 630.2 e |
| 2017 | 843.2 e |
| 2018 | 1,003.8 e |
| 2019 | 1,150.0 e |
| 2020 | 1,153.8 |
| 2021 | 1,236.7 e |
| 2022 | 1,715.6 e |
| 2023 | 1,427.5 e |
| 2024 | 1,646.1 |
p: provisional; e: estimate.
Provisional or estimated values are drawn with dashed lines.
Forest rents
Forest rents (Gabon) went from 9.2 % of GDP in 1970 to 2.6 % of GDP in 2021. The highest value was reached in 1972 (10.7 % of GDP).
| Period | Forest rents (% of GDP) |
|---|---|
| 1970 | 9.2 |
| 1971 | 8.6 |
| 1972 | 10.7 |
| 1973 | 8.7 |
| 1974 | 4.6 |
| 1975 | 2.6 |
| 1976 | 1.6 |
| 1977 | 2.0 |
| 1978 | 2.7 |
| 1979 | 2.7 |
| 1980 | 2.3 |
| 1981 | 1.7 |
| 1982 | 1.8 |
| 1983 | 1.9 |
| 1984 | 1.8 |
| 1985 | 1.8 |
| 1986 | 2.2 |
| 1987 | 2.2 |
| 1988 | 2.1 |
| 1989 | 2.1 |
| 1990 | 2.4 |
| 1991 | 1.9 |
| 1992 | 2.2 |
| 1993 | 3.6 |
| 1994 | 4.3 |
| 1995 | 4.5 |
| 1996 | 3.7 |
| 1997 | 4.0 |
| 1998 | 4.7 |
| 1999 | 4.0 |
| 2000 | 4.0 |
| 2001 | 3.9 |
| 2002 | 4.4 |
| 2003 | 4.7 |
| 2004 | 2.3 |
| 2005 | 2.9 |
| 2006 | 3.6 |
| 2007 | 3.2 |
| 2008 | 3.8 |
| 2009 | 3.0 |
| 2010 | 2.0 |
| 2011 | 1.5 |
| 2012 | 2.0 |
| 2013 | 2.3 |
| 2014 | 2.2 |
| 2015 | 2.2 |
| 2016 | 2.4 |
| 2017 | 3.1 |
| 2018 | 2.6 |
| 2019 | 2.2 |
| 2020 | 3.3 |
| 2021 | 2.6 |
Main players
Main timber sector players
| Name | Activity | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Gabon Special Economic Zone (GSEZ), Arise IIP group | Development and management of the Nkok, Ikolo and Mpassa-Lebombi zones; 84 wood companies at Nkok | Nkok (Estuaire) and other zones |
| Rougier Gabon | Logging and sawmilling, present since 1952; manages nearly 880,000 hectares of forest and produces about 300,000 m³ of logs a year, about 1,500 employees | Gabon |
| Cora Wood | Wood processing; among the main producers (over 65,000 m³ in 2017) | Gabon |
| Compagnie Équatoriale des Bois (CEB) and Tropical Gabon Industrie (TGI), Precious Woods group | Logging, sawmilling and peeling; majority-owned by the Swiss group Precious Woods since 2007; new planing unit installed at the Bambidié site in 2025 | Bambidié (Haut-Ogooué) |
| Compagnie des Bois du Gabon (CBG) | FSC-certified logging over about 600,000 hectares; modernised Port-Gentil sawmill; tertiary processing (railway sleepers, decking); partnership with TotalEnergies since 2022 on forest management and carbon storage | Port-Gentil (Ogooué-Maritime) |
| Ministry of Water and Forests | Forest title allocation, logging and traceability control | Libreville |
| Village communities (community forests) | 51 community forests under final agreement in 2019 (259,883 hectares) | Rural areas |
Source: Rougier Gabon : opérateur certifié Fair&Precious (opens in a new tab)
Regulatory framework
The sector is governed by the forest code (Law No. 016/01 of 31 December 2001). All forests belong to the State and must have a management plan and an industrialisation plan. The code provides for several logging titles, including sustainably managed forest concessions (CFAD), associated forest permits (PFA), by-agreement permits (PGG) and community forests. It set a minimum local processing rate of 75%, raised to 100% by the log export ban applied since May 2010. Organic Law No. 039/2023 of 2 November 2023 amended several articles on offences and penalties, notably for logging without a title and breaching product grading rules.
Some species are reserved: a 2009 decree reserves afo, andok, douka or makoré and moabi for 25 years, and kevazingo logging has been banned since 2015. The 2014 environmental protection law requires impact assessments for forestry and industrial projects. Companies in special economic zones fall under the 2011 law on preferential economic zones.
Reference texts
-
Forest code
Loi n° 016/01 du 31 décembre 2001 portant code forestier en République gabonaise
-
Amendment to the forest code (2023)
Loi organique n° 039/2023 du 02 novembre 2023 portant modification de certaines dispositions de la loi organique n° 016/2001 du 31 décembre 2001 portant code forestier
-
Environmental protection law
Loi n° 007/2014 du 01 août 2014 relative à la protection de l'environnement en République gabonaise
-
Special economic zones law
Loi n° 010/2011 du 18 juillet 2011 portant réglementation des zones économiques à régime privilégié en République gabonaise
-
Decree creating the Mpassa-Lebombi special investment zone
Décret n° 0122/PR/MPIPPPAEA du 12 mai 2022 portant création et organisation de la zone d'investissement spéciale Mpassa-Lebombi
Opportunities
- Secondary and tertiary processing. Rough sawnwood still dominates; joinery, furniture, engineered wood, plywood and veneer offer more value added and less exposure to the Chinese market alone.
- Market diversification. The 2025 downturn shows dependence on China; European and regional markets and the domestic construction market, growing with public works, are possible outlets.
- Certification and traceability. FSC certification of the Nkok zone and European buyers' requirements add value to certified timber.
- Energy and logistics. Reliable power and rail are preconditions for competitiveness; turning sawmill residues into energy can reduce dependence on the grid.
- Special economic zones. Nkok, Ikolo and Mpassa-Lebombi offer serviced land and a specific regime for investors.
Take the next step
These opportunities translate into concrete formalities: find the ones that apply to your project, or ask the assistant.
Documents
-
DGEPF, sector business cycle note for the fourth quarter of 2025 (in French), PDF format (opens in a new tab)
Direction générale de l'économie et de la politique fiscale
-
Legal framework of Gabon's forest and timber sector, HTML format (opens in a new tab)
Timber Trade Portal (ATIBT)
-
IMF, 2024 Article IV consultation (Country Report No. 24/144), PDF format (opens in a new tab)
Fonds monétaire international
-
World Bank, Macro Poverty Outlook for Gabon, April 2026, PDF format (opens in a new tab)
Banque mondiale
-
AFD, Transgabonais modernisation and security programme, HTML format (opens in a new tab)
Agence française de développement
Sources
18 sources cited
Documents and datasets used for this profile.
- Forest area (% of land area), Gabon (opens in a new tab)
- Aperçu de la filière industrielle forêt-bois au Gabon (opens in a new tab)
- Cadre réglementaire, légal et juridique applicable à la gestion et l'exploitation forestière au Gabon (opens in a new tab)
- GSEZ (opens in a new tab)
- Arise IIP, page d'accueil (opens in a new tab)
- Gabon forest industry (opens in a new tab)
- Note de conjoncture sectorielle du quatrième trimestre 2025 (opens in a new tab)
- La filière bois enregistre une chute de 23,7 % en 2025 (opens in a new tab)
- Gabon: 2024 Article IV Consultation, Country Report No. 24/144 (opens in a new tab)
- Macro Poverty Outlook for Gabon, April 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- FAOSTAT, données de production forestière (domaine Forestry, téléchargement groupé) (opens in a new tab)
- Rougier Gabon : opérateur certifié Fair&Precious (opens in a new tab)
- Precious Woods, nos sites (opens in a new tab)
- Compagnie des Bois du Gabon (CBG), actualités (opens in a new tab)
- Plus de 250 000 ha de nouvelles forêts certifiées FSC au Gabon (opens in a new tab)
- Gabon Country Commercial Guide: Wood Products (opens in a new tab)
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAOSTAT) (opens in a new tab) Veneer and sawn wood exports
- World Bank (opens in a new tab) Forest area (% of land area), Forest rents, Agricultural raw materials share of exports
