Gabon: A new petroleum code to better utilize national resources

Gabon intends to ensure that its oil revenues benefit its businesses and population more fully. President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema has expressed a desire to strengthen the participation of Gabonese citizens in the oil industry through the revision of the Petroleum Code. This project was the focus of a meeting granted on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, to the Minister of Petroleum, Clotaire Kondja.

This reform aims to redefine the rules of the sector to better meet the new challenges of hydrocarbon exploitation. With the shift in activities towards the deep and ultra-deep waters of Gabon's offshore region, the country intends to establish a regulatory framework adapted to the technical, financial, and security requirements of these operations.

But the issue goes beyond mere legal modernization. The future Petroleum Code intends to prioritize local content by strengthening the presence of Gabonese companies in the value chain. The goal is to retain a larger share of the wealth generated by oil production within the national economy.

The government is also focusing on training to reduce dependence on foreign expertise. Gabonese engineers, specialized technicians, and senior managers are being called upon to take on greater responsibilities in this strategic industry.

This approach aims in particular to facilitate access for nationals to highly skilled jobs and decision-making positions within oil companies operating in the country.

Through this reform, Libreville is displaying an ambition: to no longer limit the benefits of oil to the revenues from extraction, but to make this resource an engine for the development of local businesses, the transfer of skills and the creation of skilled jobs.

Djamila Kambou