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Sector group

Mining, gas and hydrocarbons

Oil, manganese and gas are the foundation of Gabon's economy: in 2022 extractive industries accounted for 30% of gross domestic product (GDP), more than two thirds of government revenue and 95% of exports. Yet the sector creates few direct jobs and must cope with the decline of mature oil fields.

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Share of GDP
30.3%
Share of government revenue
68.1%
Share of exports
95.3%

Source: Gabon, page pays

Sectors in this group

Key figures

Weight of extractive industries

Share of GDP

30.3 %

2022

Source: Gabon, page pays (opens in a new tab)

Share of government revenue

68.1 %

2022

Source: Gabon, page pays (opens in a new tab)

Share of exports

95.3 %

2022

Source: Gabon, page pays (opens in a new tab)

Share of employment

3.7 %

2022

Source: Gabon, page pays (opens in a new tab)

Crude oil production

-2.9 % year on year

2025

Source: Note de conjoncture sectorielle du quatrième trimestre 2025 (opens in a new tab)

National manganese production

9.1 million tonnes

2025

Source: Gabon : pour la troisième année consécutive, la production nationale de manganèse recule de 2,5 % en 2025 (opens in a new tab)

Extractive industries output

-2.7 % year on year

2025

Source: Note de conjoncture sectorielle du quatrième trimestre 2025 (opens in a new tab)

Statistical series

Total natural resources rents

18.5 % of GDP

2021

Source: World Bank

Oil rents

15.6 % of GDP

2021

Source: World Bank

Mineral rents

0.0 % of GDP

2021

Source: World Bank

Crude oil production

227.0 kbbl/d

2025

Source: Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries

Manganese ore production

7,103.0 kt

2025

Source: Eramet (Comilog)

Estuaire Haut-Ogooué Moyen-Ogooué Ngounié Nyanga Ogooué-Ivindo Ogooué-Lolo Ogooué-Maritime Woleu-Ntem

Locations

4 provinces
Haut-Ogooué, Nyanga, Ogooué-Ivindo, Ogooué-Maritime

Source: OCHA / Institut national de cartographie du Gabon (CC BY-IGO)

Provinces of the listed sites: mine, oil terminal.

Trends

According to the Directorate General for the Economy and Fiscal Policy (DGEPF), extractive output fell 2.7% in 2025 as oil (-2.9%) and manganese (-2.5%) declined, while marketed natural gas rose slightly (+1.2%). All three segments recovered in the fourth quarter. The first quarter of 2026 was mixed again, with lower oil and gas output and higher manganese production.

The World Bank estimates that GDP growth slowed to 2.5% in 2025 from 3.4% in 2024 because of ageing oil fields and difficulties in the timber and manganese sectors. For 2026-2028 it projects average growth of 3.3%, with manganese demand partly offsetting the structural decline of oil, supported by future Belinga iron ore and the raw manganese export ban planned for 2029.

The 2024-2026 period saw a stronger role for the State: Gabon Oil Company's purchases of Assala Energy (2024) and Tullow Oil Gabon (2025), the decision to require local processing of manganese, and an oil prefinancing agreement with Trafigura in 2026. The IMF notes, however, that diversification is held back by a difficult business climate, inadequate infrastructure and limited access to electricity in rural areas where mines and the timber industry are located.

Natural resource rents

Oil, gas, forests and minerals, % of GDP

Unit: Percent of GDP Area: Gabon

Oil rents (Gabon) went from 30.6 % of GDP in 1990 to 15.6 % of GDP in 2021. The highest value was reached in 2000 (43.7 % of GDP). Natural gas rents (Gabon) went from 0.0 % of GDP in 1990 to 0.3 % of GDP in 2021. The highest value was reached in 2014 (0.3 % of GDP). Forest rents (Gabon) went from 2.4 % of GDP in 1990 to 2.6 % of GDP in 2021. The highest value was reached in 2003 (4.7 % of GDP). The chart has one more series, detailed in the table.

Natural resource rents
Period Oil rents (% of GDP) Natural gas rents (% of GDP) Forest rents (% of GDP) Mineral rents (% of GDP)
1990 30.6 0.0 2.4 0.0
1991 20.0 0.0 1.9 0.0
1992 23.0 0.0 2.2 0.0
1993 28.6 0.0 3.6 0.0
1994 26.3 0.0 4.3 0.0
1995 27.4 0.1 4.5 0.0
1996 29.2 0.0 3.7 0.0
1997 29.8 0.1 4.0 0.0
1998 15.5 0.0 4.7 0.0
1999 22.0 0.0 4.0 0.0
2000 43.7 0.1 4.0 0.0
2001 28.6 0.1 3.9 0.0
2002 27.2 0.1 4.4 0.0
2003 21.3 0.1 4.7 0.0
2004 25.1 0.1 2.3 0.0
2005 34.8 0.0 2.9 0.0
2006 33.9 0.1 3.6 0.0
2007 34.3 0.1 3.2 0.0
2008 37.2 0.1 3.8 0.0
2009 24.6 0.1 3.0 0.0
2010 33.5 0.2 2.0 0.0
2011 37.4 0.2 1.5 0.0
2012 38.3 0.2 2.0 0.1
2013 30.2 0.2 2.3 0.1
2014 22.2 0.3 2.2 0.1
2015 10.0 0.3 2.2 0.1
2016 9.0 0.2 2.4 0.1
2017 14.4 0.2 3.1 0.1
2018 18.3 0.2 2.6 0.0
2019 16.7 0.2 2.2 0.0
2020 10.0 0.2 3.3 0.0
2021 15.6 0.3 2.6 0.0

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Source: World Bank Last updated: 22 September 2026

Composition of merchandise exports

Fuels, ores and metals, agricultural raw materials, % of exports

Unit: Percent Area: Gabon

Fuel share of merchandise exports (Gabon) went from 83.3% in 2000 to 54.0% in 2023. The highest value was reached in 2010 (90.0%). Ores and metals share of merchandise exports (Gabon) went from 1.7% in 2000 to 23.3% in 2023. Agricultural raw materials share of exports (Gabon) went from 11.8% in 2000 to 3.9% in 2023.

Composition of merchandise exports
Period Fuel share of merchandise exports (%) Ores and metals share of merchandise exports (%) Agricultural raw materials share of exports (%)
2000 83.3 1.7 11.8
2001 83.0 1.5 11.1
2002 83.8 1.8 9.3
2003 88.4 1.1 5.5
2004 76.2 5.5 9.8
2005 84.0 3.6 7.5
2006 85.6 3.2 6.7
2007 83.4 3.6 8.4
2008 89.2 2.2 5.6
2009 83.1 3.0 8.9
2010 90.0 2.5 3.6
2011 85.9 3.9 4.8
2012 71.3 1.2 1.8
2013 65.8 1.4 1.6
2014 57.3 1.1 1.7
2015 42.0 1.6 2.2
2016 30.9 1.8 3.7
2017 62.3 3.3 6.1
2018 53.5 3.1 4.8
2019 54.9 4.3 4.8
2020 52.9 6.2 6.5
2021 52.3 6.8 5.9
2022 67.2 6.4 4.8
2023 54.0 23.3 3.9

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Source: World Bank Last updated: 22 September 2026

Total natural resources rents

Unit: Percent of GDP Area: Gabon

Total natural resources rents (Gabon) went from 12.0 % of GDP in 1970 to 18.5 % of GDP in 2021. The highest value was reached in 1979 (56.7 % of GDP).

Total natural resources rents
Period Total natural resources rents (% of GDP)
1970 12.0
1971 9.7
1972 14.2
1973 13.2
1974 43.9
1975 32.3
1976 23.0
1977 29.3
1978 30.3
1979 56.7
1980 34.8
1981 19.7
1982 9.3
1983 18.7
1984 21.9
1985 25.4
1986 9.8
1987 18.3
1988 13.7
1989 26.7
1990 33.0
1991 22.0
1992 25.3
1993 32.2
1994 30.6
1995 32.0
1996 32.9
1997 33.8
1998 20.2
1999 26.1
2000 47.8
2001 32.5
2002 31.7
2003 26.1
2004 27.5
2005 37.8
2006 37.7
2007 37.5
2008 41.1
2009 27.7
2010 35.7
2011 39.1
2012 40.6
2013 32.8
2014 24.8
2015 12.6
2016 11.7
2017 17.7
2018 21.2
2019 19.2
2020 13.5
2021 18.5
Source: World Bank Last updated: 22 September 2026

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Main players

Main players

Main players
Name Activity Location
Perenco Oil & Gas Gabon Largest oil producer and sole commercial gas producer Ogooué-Maritime
Gabon Oil Company (GOC) National oil company, owner of Assala Energy and Tullow Oil Gabon Libreville
TotalEnergies EP Gabon, BW Energy, Vaalco Energy, Maurel & Prom Onshore and offshore oil production Ogooué-Maritime and offshore
Comilog (Eramet) Largest manganese producer Moanda (Haut-Ogooué)
Nouvelle Gabon Mining, CICMHZ Manganese mining Haut-Ogooué, Moyen-Ogooué
Ivindo Iron (Fortescue) Belinga iron ore project Ogooué-Ivindo

Source: Gabon, page pays (opens in a new tab)

Regulatory framework

The sector rests on two 2019 laws: the hydrocarbons code (Law No. 002/2019 of 16 July 2019) for oil and gas, and the mining code (Law No. 037/2018 of 11 June 2019) for minerals. All projects are subject to the 2014 environmental protection law. The 2021 CEMAC regulation sets out how foreign exchange rules apply to extractive companies. Gabon has been an EITI member since October 2021 and publishes annual reports on company payments to the State.

Reference texts

Opportunities

The authorities intend to use extractive resources to finance diversification under the National Development Plan (PND) 2025-2032. The main avenues are deep offshore exploration, use of associated gas for power generation and export, local manganese processing ahead of the 2029 deadline, development of Belinga iron ore and services linked to these projects (logistics, maintenance, fabrication, training).

Take the next step

These opportunities translate into concrete formalities: find the ones that apply to your project, or ask the assistant.

Get the list of formalities for your operation Ask a question about this sector

Documents

Sources

16 sources cited

Documents and datasets used for this profile.

  1. Gabon, page pays (opens in a new tab) EITI, retrieved on 22 September 2026
  2. Gabon 2023 EITI Report (opens in a new tab) EITI, retrieved on 22 September 2026
  3. Gabon 2022 EITI Report (opens in a new tab) EITI, retrieved on 22 September 2026
  4. Note de conjoncture sectorielle du quatrième trimestre 2025 (opens in a new tab) Direction générale de l'économie et de la politique fiscale (DGEPF), retrieved on 22 September 2026
  5. Gabon : pour la troisième année consécutive, la production nationale de manganèse recule de 2,5 % en 2025 (opens in a new tab) Financial Afrik, retrieved on 22 September 2026
  6. Gabon : les industries extractives à la peine au premier trimestre 2026 (opens in a new tab) Gabonmediatime, retrieved on 22 September 2026
  7. Macro Poverty Outlook for Gabon, April 2026 (opens in a new tab) Banque mondiale, retrieved on 22 September 2026
  8. Gabon: 2024 Article IV Consultation, Country Report No. 24/144 (opens in a new tab) Fonds monétaire international, retrieved on 22 September 2026
  9. Gabon National Oil Company partners with Gunvor on Assala Energy acquisition (opens in a new tab) Gunvor Group, retrieved on 22 September 2026
  10. Tullow completes sale of Gabon assets to the Gabon Oil Company (opens in a new tab) Tullow Oil, retrieved on 22 September 2026
  11. Gabon : l'État sécurise environ 610 milliards de FCFA auprès de Trafigura via un accord pétrolier (opens in a new tab) Gabonmediatime, retrieved on 22 September 2026
  12. Eramet: structural measures to strengthen balance sheet and prepare the future, after a challenging year 2025 (communiqué, 18 février 2026) (opens in a new tab) Eramet, retrieved on 22 September 2026
  13. The World Bank in Gabon: overview (opens in a new tab) Banque mondiale, retrieved on 22 September 2026
  14. World Bank (opens in a new tab) retrieved on 22 September 2026 Total natural resources rents, Oil rents, Mineral rents, Fuel share of merchandise exports
  15. Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (opens in a new tab) retrieved on 22 September 2026 Crude oil production, Natural gas production
  16. Eramet (Comilog) (opens in a new tab) retrieved on 22 September 2026 Manganese ore production
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