Gabon

General Oligui's campaign in France off to a rocky start

The head of Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema's French campaign, Firmin Maurice Nguema, who works at the Gabonese embassy in Paris, has upset his party allies already. A presidential envoy is jetting in to ease tensions.

Algest Consulting discreetly advises government on debt

The consultancy's boss, Ivorian banker Ibrahim Magassa, has just finished reprofiling Gabon's debt. On 25 March, he also organised a meeting between the main regional bankers and President Oligui Nguema.

The New Guard
Ivory Coast, Africa, Gabon

Every Wednesday, Africa Intelligence spotlights a new generation of movers and shakers in business and politics.

Ivory CoastHimra, a rapper courted by Ivorian elite

AfricaSandra Kassab, the new AFD head who's hit the ground running

GabonRose Ougoumeboué, discreet face of Nguema's election campaign

Assala Energy in trouble over oil exploration

Faced with an expected fall in production this year, Assala Energy will not be able to rely on exploration wells, three of which have dried up, according to an internal company document.

AU panel rejects Central African candidates

The panel of eminent Africans responsible for shortlisting candidates from Central Africa for the posts of trade and education commissioners will not be submitting applications to the AU executive council. It considers that the profiles do not meet the required conditions.

Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema launches a vast reprofiling of public debt

The transitional president is preparing an exchange of debt securities to postpone this year's financial deadlines. The operation, worth more than FCFA 1,000bn, must be completed before the 12 April presidential election.

GOC deal sparks storm at Gunvor

Stéphane Degenne, co-director of Gunvor's oil trading business, has just retired early. Several inside sources claim that his departure is linked to a 2024 contract with Gabon Oil Co, which the company denies.

Perenco and GOC battle it out to buy Tullow Oil

The race to acquire Tullow's assets in Gabon has picked up pace and the staff of the state-owned Gabon Oil Co are now determined to come out on top.

One year after GOC's takeover, Assala Energy still without management

The Gabonese state-owned company is struggling to attract managers to Assala Energy capable of handling the new assets acquired last year. Added to this is an expected fall in returns from these licences.

Central African states scramble for AU trade and education commissioner jobs

Central African nations are jockeying for the African Union's trade and education commissioner posts, which are the region's by right. Burundi, DR Congo, São Tomé and Príncipe and the Central African Republic have all fielded candidates, alongside Equatorial Guinea, Chad.

Ex-Jean Ping adviser Michel Ongoundou Loundah set to run for president

After taking over the Réagir party at the end of January, he has embarked on a tour of the country ahead of a presidential bid.

Cameroon spat upsets plans for employers' summit in Brazzaville

Plans to hold the Rassemblement des Entrepreneurs Francophones, a forum for business owners from French-speaking African nations, in June in Brazzaville have been upset by a rival event by the Economic Community of Central African States’ (CEEAC) business council.

Presidential hopefuls court diaspora in France

Several likely candidates in April's presidential election have travelled to Paris in recent weeks to meet members of the Gabonese community based there.

Ivorian justice investigating Ping brothers

A-One Technology, the group founded by Franck and Jean-François Ping, is at the centre of an inquiry by the Ivorian judiciary for "unfair competition" and "use of fraudulent information". It follows a complaint from the Ivorian group Impact Palmarès R&D.

How Paris is redefining its military cooperation with Libreville

While the French army officially handed over its military base last year, France still wants to keep a small contingent of 70 soldiers in Libreville.

Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema puts PDG party in battle order as presidential poll looms

With two months to go before presidential elections, the junta leader has reactivated the Parti Démocratique Gabonais. But supporters of ousted Ali Bongo contest the new party leadership and have set up a dissident branch.