The Gabonese economy demonstrated remarkable resilience in 2025, achieving a commercial trade surplus of 6.9 billion USD, defying global headwinds that weakened international trade flows. Despite a challenging environment characterized by declining oil prices, disrupted shipping routes, and sluggish global demand, the country maintained strong export performance.
The surplus emerged from a net export value of 10.73 billion USD, sharply outpacing import expenditures that totaled 3.83 billion USD. This export-to-import ratio of over 2.8 to 1 positions Gabon favorably within the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC), where several member states grapple with shrinking trade balances due to rising freight and input costs.
Global trade conditions remained unfavorable throughout 2025, with merchandise trade expanding by only 4.6%—following a contraction in 2023—and projections for 2026 indicating a further sharp slowdown to 1.4%. Within this difficult landscape, Gabon’s sustained trade surplus sends a strong signal to international investors and development partners about the country’s economic stability and policy effectiveness.
The trade surplus also provides an opportunity to rebuild foreign exchange reserves, which currently stand at 1 billion USD. While this covers approximately 2.1 months of import needs, it remains below the three-month threshold recommended by the IMF. Strengthening reserve accumulation remains a top priority for Gabonese authorities, as converting consistent trade gains into durable foreign reserves is critical for macroeconomic stability in Libreville.
Idrissa Diakité
