Arnaud Kombila Mussavu to audit Gabon's agricultural company
The new interim administrator has 90 days to restructure the Société d’agriculture et d’élevage du Gabon after a governance crisis.
Arnaud Kombila Mussavu officially took charge of the Société d’agriculture et d’élevage du Gabon (SAEG) on October 26, 2026, with a 90-day mandate to audit and restructure the company. His appointment follows a governance and performance crisis that has weakened the agricultural and livestock enterprise, which is strategic for Gabon's food security. This transition period aims to restore the company's operational capacity after institutional changes on October 8 made previous dissolution plans void.
The handover ceremony, presided over by Serge Rufin Okana from the Ministry of Agriculture, marked the start of the provisional administration. Mussavu's tasks include conducting a strategic review, securing state assets, and identifying conditions for sustainable recovery. The government also ordered the urgent payment of one-third of accumulated salary arrears for SAEG and AGROPAG employees, with the remainder to be settled later.
Gabon aims to reduce import dependency, including a planned halt to broiler chicken imports by January 1, 2027. The SAEG's ability to support national production is under scrutiny. The 90-day period is expected to yield a clarified governance structure, preserved assets, and a credible operational strategy to test the coherence between food sovereignty ambitions and institutional means.
Why it mattersGabon's food sovereignty and national production capacity are directly affected by the restructuring of the Société d’agriculture et d’élevage du Gabon.