Gabon Pushes Agricultural and Mining Diversification to Cut Oil Dependence

The Gabonese government has signed an agreement with the Central Purchasing Agency (CEAG) to secure poultry inputs for 150 farms under an agricultural development program. The deal covers the supply of three million day‑old chicks, 14,000 tonnes of feed and veterinary products each year, with an initial delivery of 562,400 chicks expected by the end of 2026. The initiative aims to reduce the country's reliance on imported poultry products and strengthen local production.

At the same time, Gabon is accelerating a shift toward mining to offset declining oil output. The ministry of mines plans to bring eight new mines into operation by 2030, targeting iron, gold and potash deposits such as Milingui, Baniaka, Mébaga, M’Bilan and Etéké. The goal is to raise mining’s contribution to GDP from about 6 % to roughly 20 %, create thousands of jobs and increase public revenues. Success depends on upgrading transport, port and energy infrastructure and on ensuring that mineral benefits are widely shared and that more processing occurs locally.