Gabon’s power and water crisis: a call for urgent reforms

The President delivered a blunt assessment during the annual State of the Nation address to lawmakers: the current model managing water and electricity in Gabon has failed and must be overhauled. Repeated power and water outages have plagued the country for years, prompting a radical restructuring plan centered on separating the two services and decentralizing production, distribution, and sales.

Breaking the cycle of inefficiency

Under the proposed reform, water and electricity will no longer be managed as a single entity. The President argued that this separation could accelerate response times to critical issues. “When a water leak occurs, repairs can take months. If revenues were tied directly to service quality, interventions would be immediate,” he emphasized, dismissing claims that water services could not survive without electricity revenues.

A system crippled by mismanagement and neglect

The public utility company, long criticized for its poor governance, has been unable to meet basic demands. “We must be honest: continuous blackouts persist because the company fails to pay its operators,” the President admitted. The crisis extends beyond administrative failures, with widespread user misconduct exacerbating the problem—unpaid bills, tampered meters, fraud, cable theft, and direct unauthorized connections.

Decades of stalled progress

Technical assessments paint a grim picture. “No significant investments have been made in over 20 years,” noted the company’s interim administrator in early 2025, despite energy consumption nearly doubling between 2010 and 2024. The consequences are severe: Libreville faces rotating power cuts, while water shortages can last for months in some areas.

Mixed reactions from the public

Residents share divided opinions on the reform. Mariam Yama, a subscriber, supports the separation: “Having two entities could improve efficiency. Accountability would finally matter.” Others, like Nicole Esso, urge patience: “This isn’t a new issue. Without equipment upgrades, no reform will solve the problem overnight.”

Patrick Ruffin, a retired military officer, highlights financial mismanagement: “The company’s finances are a mess. Reforms must start there.” Cédric Pango, a corporate executive, warns of unintended consequences: “Electricity is profitable; water isn’t. Separating them without addressing water’s financial viability could worsen the crisis.”

Government steps toward solutions

The administration has taken initial measures to ease the burden on citizens. In February 2025, Gabon signed an agreement with a Turkish firm to deploy two floating power plants, adding 150 megawatts to the capital’s grid. Additionally, Gabon and Equatorial Guinea interconnected their electrical networks to enhance regional stability.

For President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema—who assumed power in August 2023 and secured 94.85% of the vote in April 2025—restoring reliable electricity is a cornerstone of his credibility. Yet, the path forward remains fraught with challenges: technical hurdles, financial constraints, and entrenched corruption.

As Libreville and the nation await tangible results, one question looms large: will these reforms finally end the cycle of outages, or will they become another unfulfilled promise in Gabon’s long struggle with public service failures?