African development bank steps up Gabon project rollout amid delays
The African Development Bank’s (AfDB) active portfolio in Gabon, valued at $658.6 million, continues to face persistent execution delays despite ongoing efforts by both Libreville authorities and the continental lender. While some performance metrics have shown slight improvement, the gap between financial commitments and actual disbursements on the ground remains significant. This challenge, though not unique to Gabon, is particularly acute in the country, prompting the AfDB to rethink its support strategies.
Significant funds, sluggish implementation
With a substantial financial commitment in Gabon, the AfDB ranks among the institution’s key partners in Central Africa. The projects span critical sectors aimed at diversifying Gabon’s oil-dependent economy. Yet, lingering issues such as prolonged loan agreement finalization, cumbersome procurement processes, and inter-ministerial coordination hurdles continue to hinder execution speed.
These administrative inefficiencies have been a recurring theme in joint performance reviews between the AfDB and Gabonese authorities for years. Their persistence raises questions about the country’s absorption capacity, especially as it navigates a transitional phase under President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, who has pledged to rebuild infrastructure and revive public investment.
AfDB’s strategic overhaul to fast-track projects
To regain momentum, the AfDB convened a dedicated workshop in Libreville focused on enhancing project implementation in Gabon. The initiative involves a granular review of each project to pinpoint bottlenecks delaying disbursements and to co-develop tailored solutions with national execution teams, sectoral ministries, and Bank officials. This approach reflects a broader trend among major donors: shifting from purely fiscal oversight to hands-on guidance for project owners.
In practical terms, the AfDB is prioritizing capacity-building for Gabonese teams in procurement, financial management, and monitoring and evaluation. Repeated assessments highlight a shortage of local expertise and high turnover among technical staff within the administration, both of which contribute to delays between loan signing and groundbreaking ceremonies.
Credibility at stake for Gabon’s transition
The push to expedite the AfDB portfolio carries political weight beyond technical considerations. The transitional leadership has positioned infrastructure revival as a cornerstone of its agenda. Delays in executing co-financed projects undermine this narrative, particularly as Libreville seeks additional concessional financing from other multilateral partners.
For the AfDB, Gabon also serves as a litmus test for its regional portfolio performance. In Central Africa, the institution consistently grapples with disbursement rates below its continental average. Given Gabon’s status as a middle-income economy with stronger administrative capabilities than its neighbors, improving execution metrics here could send a strong signal to private investors monitoring the transition’s trajectory.
The coming months will be decisive. The roadmap finalized during the Libreville meeting must translate into measurable milestones: faster fulfillment of pre-disbursement conditions, shorter procurement timelines, and higher physical execution rates on flagship projects. Failure to deliver could relegate the $658.6 million portfolio to a dormant asset rather than a catalyst for economic transformation.
