Gabon’s trade surplus soars to 6.9 billion USD in 2025 despite global challenges

Gabon achieved a remarkable trade surplus of 6.90 billion USD in 2025, defying global headwinds that included shrinking trade volumes, volatile oil prices, and disrupted maritime shipping lanes. This milestone underscores the country’s robust external trade position despite an unpredictable international economic landscape.

The surplus stems from a sharp contrast between exports totaling 10.73 billion USD and imports holding steady at 3.83 billion USD. With an export-to-import ratio exceeding 2.8 to 1, Gabon stands out in the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC) region, where many economies have witnessed their trade balances shrink due to rising freight costs and input expenses.

Global trade conditions were far from ideal in 2025. Merchandise trade grew by a modest 4.6% after a downturn in 2023, and forecasts for 2026 predict a sharp slowdown to just 1.4%. Against this backdrop, Gabon’s ability to maintain such a substantial surplus sends a strong signal to investors and institutional partners about the nation’s economic stability.

The trade surplus also provides an opportunity to rebuild foreign exchange reserves, which currently stand at 1 billion USD—enough to cover 2.1 months of imports. While this figure falls short of the IMF’s recommended three-month coverage threshold, it highlights a key area for improvement. For policymakers in Libreville, the challenge now is transforming this structural trade surplus into a sustainable reserve base to strengthen macroeconomic resilience.