The World Bank has approved US$150 million in financing from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development to support Gabon’s Access to Basic Services and Performance Improvement Project. The operation aims to modernize water and electricity services, expand universal access, and strengthen the financial sustainability of service providers, while contributing to climate adaptation and mitigation objectives.
Despite relatively high access rates in urban areas, water and electricity services in Gabon are frequently disrupted and often delivered at suboptimal quality. Access gaps remain pronounced in rural communities, where only a little over half of the population has access to basic water services and fewer than one-third have access to electricity. Sanitation infrastructure remains largely absent, leading to widespread contamination of water sources and increased risks of waterborne diseases.
The approved financing supports the government’s efforts to address these challenges through a combination of investments in climate-resilient infrastructure and reforms to strengthen sector policies, institutions, and regulatory frameworks. These measures are designed to improve service quality, reliability, and long-term sector performance across both urban and rural areas.
The project is expected to benefit approximately 535,000 people through expanded access to piped water and electricity, improved reliability of existing services, and the introduction of safely managed sanitation services. Particular emphasis is placed on rural and peri-urban areas, where access gaps are most severe, and on the deployment of low-carbon and climate-resilient solutions.
World Bank officials highlighted the importance of reliable basic services for strengthening human capital, supporting inclusive economic growth, and enhancing resilience to climate shocks. By combining priority infrastructure investments with sector reforms, the project aims to deliver sustainable improvements in service delivery for households and businesses.
The project is fully aligned with Gabon’s National Development Plan 2025–2032, the World Bank–Gabon Country Partnership Framework, and key World Bank Group initiatives, including its Water Strategy and Mission 300, which seeks to expand electricity access across Africa by 2030.
