The African Development Bank, in partnership with the Government of Gabon, successfully concluded the 10th edition of the Africa Energy Market Place (AEMP) in Libreville, held on 8–9 April 2026. The high-level forum brought together policymakers, development partners, and private sector leaders to accelerate reforms and investments aimed at unlocking Gabon’s energy potential and advancing the continental Mission 300 initiative, which seeks to connect 300 million Africans to electricity by 2030.
Launched in 2018, the AEMP serves as the Bank’s flagship energy policy dialogue platform under the Africa Energy Technical Assistance Programme. With Gabon becoming the 25th country to engage through this initiative, the Libreville forum focused on aligning national priorities with Mission 300 and developing a comprehensive National Energy Compact designed to mobilize investment, strengthen reforms, and expand inclusive energy access.
Discussions centered on five strategic pillars of Gabon’s draft Energy Compact, including expanding generation capacity, modernizing grid infrastructure, scaling renewable energy and clean cooking solutions, boosting private sector investment through innovative financing models, and improving governance of the national utility SEEG. Participants also emphasized regional integration through ECCAS, CEMAC, and the Central African Power Pool, alongside the importance of strengthening rural electrification and connecting fragmented national grids into a unified system.
Senior AfDB officials highlighted the importance of sustained reforms and strong government ownership in driving successful energy transitions. They emphasized that private sector participation remains central to achieving Mission 300 goals, as it helps mobilize the scale of financing needed from development partners and investors. The dialogue was described as highly productive, with clear momentum toward implementation.
Gabon presents strong progress in energy access, with around 94% electricity access and 90% access to clean cooking. However, disparities remain between urban and rural areas, and structural challenges persist due to unconnected regional grids that lead to imbalances between surplus and shortage zones. Addressing these gaps through grid interconnection and regional market integration was identified as a key priority for long-term energy security and economic growth.
The forum produced several key outcomes, including an Energy Access Investment Brief aligned with Mission 300, agreement on priority renewable energy and infrastructure projects, proposed policy and regulatory reforms with implementation timelines, and the establishment of a Compact Delivery and Monitoring Unit to ensure accountability. These results will guide the next phase of implementation of Gabon’s National Energy Compact, setting the stage for coordinated and accelerated energy sector transformation.
