The African Development Bank (AfDB) faces ongoing challenges with its significant $658.6 million portfolio in Gabon. Despite recent improvements in some performance indicators, persistent execution delays continue to hinder progress, a situation neither Libreville’s authorities nor the pan-African financier have managed to overcome effectively. While not exclusive to Gabon, these delays are notably pronounced here, prompting the AfDB to reassess its support strategies.
A Substantial portfolio, sluggish execution
The substantial financial commitment from the AfDB positions Gabon as a key partner for the institution within Central Africa. These operations strategically target various sectors crucial for diversifying Gabon’s economy, which currently relies heavily on oil revenues. Nevertheless, the pace of project execution remains significantly impacted by delays in loan agreement effectiveness, protracted procurement processes, and persistent inter-ministerial coordination challenges.
These administrative hurdles are not a recent phenomenon; they have been consistently highlighted in joint performance reviews conducted by the AfDB and the Gabonese government for several years. Their continued presence raises questions about the nation’s capacity to absorb development aid, particularly as the transitional government, led by President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, expresses a strong ambition to rebuild infrastructure and stimulate public investment.
The Bank’s methodological counter-offensive
To regain momentum, the AfDB recently convened a dedicated workshop in Libreville. This session focused on enhancing the implementation of projects it finances in Gabon. The objective was to meticulously identify, project by project, the specific bottlenecks impeding disbursements and to propose actionable solutions involving national execution units, relevant sectoral ministries, and the Bank’s own teams. This approach aligns with a broader strategy now adopted by most major donors: shifting from solely fiduciary oversight to providing closer, hands-on support for project owners.
Specifically, the institution aims to bolster the capabilities of Gabonese teams in critical areas such as procurement, financial management, and monitoring and evaluation. Repeated assessments consistently reveal a shortage of local expertise and a high turnover rate among technical staff within the administration. These systemic issues inherently prolong the time between the signing of an agreement and the commencement of on-the-ground work.
A Credibility challenge for Gabon’s transition
Beyond the technical considerations, expediting the AfDB portfolio carries significant political weight. The transitional authorities have positioned the revitalization of infrastructure projects as a cornerstone of their agenda. However, the sluggish execution of projects co-financed by multilateral partners undermines this narrative, especially as Libreville simultaneously seeks additional donors to broaden its concessional financing base.
For the AfDB, the stakes also include the overall performance of its regional portfolio. Across Central Africa, the institution frequently encounters disbursement rates that fall below its continental average. Gabon, as a middle-income economy possessing stronger administrative capacities compared to its neighbors, serves as a crucial test of credibility. A swift improvement in execution indicators here would convey a positive signal to private investors closely monitoring the transitional government’s trajectory.
The coming months will be pivotal. The roadmap developed following the Libreville meeting must translate into verifiable milestones: an accelerated fulfillment of disbursement preconditions, reduced procurement timelines, and an increase in physical execution rates for flagship projects. Otherwise, the substantial $658.6 million portfolio risks remaining an untapped potential rather than becoming a tangible catalyst for economic transformation.