LIBREVILLE, June 26, 2025 - Released today by the World Bank, the Gabon Economic Update 2025 presents an overview of the country’s recent economic development, followed by a thematic focus. This year’s edition explores measurements of Gabon’s national wealth, analyzing the role of human, physical, and natural capital in shaping long-term development, with a focus on the value of forest ecosystem services.
According to the report, Gabon’s economy grew by an estimated 2.9% in 2024, driven mainly by the oil sector and an uptick in public works. Inflation declined, but limited employment opportunities and modest growth contributed to rising poverty, with an estimated 34.6% of Gabonese living below the poverty line. The report notes that the country’s fiscal position deteriorated sharply in 2024, due to lower oil revenues and a strong rise in public spending. This has aggravated liquidity pressures and fiscal and debt risks, highlighting the need for rigorous measures to ensure fiscal sustainability while protecting the economy and the most vulnerable populations.
“Gabon’s newly elected government aims for a more inclusive and growth-oriented development path. However, the country must carefully navigate the complexities of an unpredictable global trade environment,” said Aissatou Diallo, World Bank Resident Representative for Gabon and Equatorial Guinea. “In light of these uncertainties, it is imperative to continue with strong reforms to attract more investment and stimulate job creation.”
This year’s report shows that Gabon’s national wealth reached $105 billion in 2020 (in real chained 2019 US$), growing by 35% from 1995 to 2020. However, per capital wealth declined by 34.7%, indicating challenges in converting natural resources into productive assets. “Governance and business climate reforms can be used to reverse declining per capita wealth,” commented Sonia Barbara Ondo Ndong, co-author of the report.
The report explores how Gabon can better leverage its vast forest resources, highlighting the significant economic value of Gabon's forest ecosystem services, which nearly doubled between 2000 and 2020 to $75.1 billion – with about 99% coming from carbon retention services. However, despite its forests retaining 29.8 billion tons of CO2, Gabon is not adequately compensated for these crucial services. Forests also provide essential local benefits in the form of wood resources, bushmeat, wild plants, soil retention, and ecotourism.
The report argues that proper global compensation mechanisms are urgently needed to enable countries like Gabon to transform carbon retention services into tangible benefits. According to Erick Tjong, co-author of the report, “At the national level, Gabon can leverage forest ecosystem services to generate higher growth and job creation, promoting sustainable economies in sectors like wood, mineral and food processing, ecotourism, and agriculture.”
Download the Gabon Economic Update 2025 in English and French.
