Gabon launches audit of domestic debt before clearance

At the close of the Gabon Economic Forum (GEF), Alain‑Claude Kouakoua, head of the Gabon Business Federation (FEG), brought the most pressing national economic issue into focus: the government’s overdue liabilities to private companies.

Although the debt has been estimated at 4,340 billion CFA francs for years, Mr. Kouakoua suggested it is likely overstated. In his view, not every submitted claim qualifies for recognition. Several files are disputable, with incomplete or irregular documentation.

A collaborative audit involving the dedicated Task Force and the Ministry of Economy will now conduct a crucial sorting process: distinguishing verified, mutually accepted debt from uncertain claims that will not be honoured. No repayment will proceed until this review finishes. One outcome is already clear: the final total will be lower than the figure circulating for months. Moreover, approximately half of this debt has reportedly been resolved since the CTRI took power in August 2023. Companies that received their due never disclosed it, and this silence prolonged ambiguity, Mr. Kouakoua added.

The upcoming mechanism aligns with a GEF 2026 recommendation: prioritise domestic debt clearance – VAT credits and arrears on public contracts – through a national clearance programme featuring an accelerated mechanism, securitisation, cross-imputation, a published monitoring table, and a National Monitoring Committee. This committee will simply revive the Libreville Club.

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While debates also centred on the reliability of official statistics and improvements to CNAMGS, the state’s debt to private enterprises dominated the agenda.

For Gabon’s private sector, this announcement comes at an ideal moment. After years of uncertainty, litigation and waiting, a path has opened toward a predictable, negotiated and verified settlement. For many, this is the essential precondition for a gradual restoration of mutual trust between the state and businesses.