In Gabon, the budgetary optimism at the beginning of the year has collided with macroeconomic reality. The amending finance law for 2026, adopted in the Council of Ministers on May 22, 2026, revises the expected growth to 4%, down from the initially announced 6.5%.
This 2.5-point adjustment goes beyond a simple technical adjustment. It confirms the reservations expressed earlier in the year by international financial institutions about the robustness of the initial projections.
Contrary to popular belief, it is reported that oil is not the cause of this revision. Oil production is now expected to increase by 3.1% in 2026. At the same time, the price of Gabonese oil has risen by 15% to reach 75 USD per barrel.
Manganese follows a similar trajectory. Production is revised to 9.424 million tonnes, up from the initially planned 9.229 million tonnes. The decrease in selling price remains marginal, limited to 0.8%, at 166.9 dollars per tonne.
The real breaking point lies in the non-oil sector. Sawn timber production collapses by 36.2%. Rubber drops by 76.9%, reduced to only 600 tonnes against the planned 2,500. Palm oil also declines by 6.4%.
These simultaneous underperformances reveal a persistent structural fragility. Indeed, when agricultural and forestry sectors falter, national growth is mechanically affected. The Gabonese economy remains closely linked to extractive revenues.
Gold stands out as an exception. Its production doubles to reach 800 kg in 2026. However, this performance is still too marginal to constitute a credible diversification lever.
Behind this macroeconomic recalibration, a constrained budgetary choice is emerging. The 2026 amending budget is designed in anticipation of a future program with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The recommendations from the February 2026 mission and the Spring Assemblies in Washington have influenced the decision-making process. The priority is now given to debt sustainability and fiscal discipline. Structural transformation of the economy remains relegated to the background. By lowering its forecasts, Libreville gains credibility in budgetary matters. In this context, it is urgent to build growth that is less dependent on global prices and more anchored in the real economy.
