Gabon invites Chinese investors to Nkok zone
President Oligui Nguema seeks partnerships for industrialization and raw material processing at Shanghai expo.
Gabon is the African guest of honor at the 9th China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai, where President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema is promoting the nation to Chinese investors. He aims to leverage this commercial event to accelerate industrialization and the local processing of raw materials. The president spoke on November 5, 2026, in Shanghai.
At the CIIE opening, President Nguema emphasized local raw material processing as central to Gabon's message. Gabon is participating for the first time with a national pavilion and was the only African president to address the opening ceremony, which was presided over by Chinese Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang. He presented Gabon's presence as evidence of a long-standing friendship with China and the concrete results of trade agreements.
President Nguema invited Chinese investors to the Nkok Special Economic Zone, describing it as a strategic Atlantic gateway to Central Africa's 200 million consumers. He also highlighted opportunities in timber, manganese, iron, energy, water, health, digital, and agriculture sectors, noting five million hectares of arable land. The president assured investors of political stability, legal security, a new investment code, and reforms to mining and petroleum codes.
Why it mattersPresident Nguema is actively seeking Chinese investment to transform Gabon's economy by processing raw materials locally and creating jobs.