Gabon officially presented its 2026-2035 energy plan in Cape Town on the sidelines of the Africa Energy Forum, one of the continent’s leading sector events. The Gabonese delegation, led by Minister of Universal Access to Water and Energy Philippe Tonangoye, outlined strategic priorities before an audience of more than forty-five countries, international financial institutions, specialized funds, and top-tier operators in the sector. Libreville’s stated goal: to reposition the country on Africa’s energy map and attract a share of the capital being mobilised across the continent.

A ten-year roadmap to address the energy deficit

The unveiled plan covers a decade and aims to sustainably structure the national energy mix. Gabon, whose electricity production remains heavily reliant on hydropower and thermal sources, seeks to diversify its supply while expanding access to essential services for the population. The issue of universal electricity access remains central, especially in rural areas where connection rates lag far behind urban averages.

For Gabonese authorities, the challenge goes beyond just production. It also involves modernising a transport and distribution network whose age affects service quality and contributes to technical losses. The plan therefore rests on three pillars: increasing installed capacity, strengthening transport infrastructure, and deploying decentralised solutions for isolated areas. This integrated approach aims to make the goal of universal access credible, a stated government priority.

Cape Town as a showcase to attract funding

Choosing the Africa Energy Forum as the platform was deliberate. The Cape Town meeting annually gathers a significant share of public decision-makers, multilateral lenders, and active investors on the continent. For a country like Gabon, which operates under budget constraints and monitored public debt, mobilising concessional financing and private capital is a condition for the success of the ten-year plan.

Philippe Tonangoye used the opportunity to present upcoming investment opportunities in both renewable production and transitional thermal energy. Gabon has substantial, still largely untapped hydroelectric potential estimated by several studies at several gigawatts, along with significant solar assets in certain regions. Added to this are the prospects offered by natural gas, whose local use for electricity generation is a line promoted by the authorities.

The presence of international financial institutions and infrastructure funds at the meeting gives Libreville a direct channel to initiate bilateral negotiations. Beyond announcements, transforming the plan into bankable projects remains the real test. Lenders typically expect stable regulatory frameworks, competitive tenders, and tariff visibility before committing over the long term.

Energy sovereignty and industrial trade-offs

The 2026-2035 plan fits into a broader drive by the transitional authorities to reassert economic sovereignty. Energy is a key pillar, as reliable electricity availability underpins the development of local industrial value chains, particularly in timber, mining, and hydrocarbon processing. The ambition to move up the value chain in these sectors requires a competitive and consistent energy supply.

The challenge remains reconciling this imperative with the country’s climate commitments, as Gabon presents itself as a model of forest conservation. The trade-off between quickly deployable thermal capacity and accelerated renewables will likely shape investment choices over the next ten years. The Cape Town Forum provided an opportunity to publicly open this debate and test investor appetite for the Gabonese market.

During the forum, the delegation led by Minister Philippe Tonangoye engaged with several partners to prepare for the implementation of the projects outlined in the ten-year plan.