At the conclusion of the Gabon Economic Forum (GEF), Alain-Claude Kouakoua, the head of the Federation of Gabon Enterprises (FEG), highlighted the most pressing challenge facing the national economy: the significant arrears the state owes to private businesses.
Although the debt has been pegged at 4,340 billion FCFA for several years, Kouakoua indicated that this sum is likely an overestimation. The FEG leader pointed out that many submitted claims are questionable, often lacking the necessary documentation or failing to meet regulatory standards.
To address this, a joint audit is being launched in collaboration with the Ministry of Economy and a dedicated Task Force. This process will categorize the debt into two groups: “certain” debt, which is verified and mutually accepted, and “uncertain” debt, which will not be honored. No further payments will be authorized until this audit is complete. It is already expected that the final verified amount will be significantly lower than previous estimates. Furthermore, approximately 50% of the debt has already been cleared since the CTRI took power in August 2023. However, a lack of transparency from the businesses that received these funds has contributed to ongoing confusion surrounding the total figures.
Strategies for economic recovery and trust
The upcoming clearance strategy aligns with the GEF 2026 recommendations, which prioritize settling domestic obligations such as VAT credits and public contract arrears. This will be managed through an accelerated mechanism involving securitization and cross-charging, overseen by a national monitoring committee. This body will essentially see the return of the Club de Libreville to ensure a transparent and published follow-up of the repayment schedule.
While discussions at the forum also touched upon the reliability of public statistics and the improvement of the CNAMGS, the issue of state debt to the private sector remained the primary focus. For Gabonese business owners, this move toward an audit and structured settlement provides a much-needed path toward predictability. After years of uncertainty and legal disputes, this initiative is seen as the vital first step in restoring mutual confidence between the state and the private sector.