Gabon’s military junta has assumed full control of the country’s national timber company, Société Nationale des Bois du Gabon, taking over from the Gabon Special Economic Zone, which was jointly managed by Dubai-based Arise IIP and the Gabonese government. This move gives the junta direct access to a $620 million industry in one of the world’s most forested nations.
Gabon’s timber sector, contributing approximately 3.2% to the $19.4 billion economy, has been tightly regulated, with logging controlled and timber exports banned since 2010. The decree transfers 600,000 hectares (1.5 million acres) of forest under the junta’s authority. Military leader Brice Oligui Nguema stated that this decision reflects the government’s commitment to protecting and responsibly managing natural resources as a driver of national development. The junta has also expanded its economic control, invoking preemptive rights to purchase shares in Assala Energy, and blocking a sale to Etablissements Maurel & Prom SA by the Carlyle Group.
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