Gabon and Turkey are ramping up their cooperation in the digital sector following a high-level meeting between Gabon’s Minister of Digital Economy, Digitalisation and Innovation, Mark Alexandre Doumba, and the Turkish Ambassador to Gabon, Can İncesu.
The bilateral audience, which took place on Tuesday in Libreville, focused on accelerating Gabon’s digital transformation through technical support, infrastructure development, and knowledge-sharing.
Digital transformation in Gabon
Minister Doumba used the meeting to spotlight Gabon’s digital strategy under President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema’s leadership.
His ministry is focused on four major pillars: digitalising public administration, expanding national infrastructure, building data governance and technological sovereignty, and nurturing local digital talent.
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The overarching goal is to boost the digital economy’s contribution to Gabon’s GDP from around 5 percent to at least 10 to 12 percent by the end of 2025.
Despite ranking 121st globally on the UN’s E-Government Development Index (EGDI), Gabon has demonstrated significant potential, especially in telecom infrastructure, where it scores 0.8263 out of 1.
However, there’s still work to be done in human capital and online services—two key areas that the government hopes international collaboration will help improve.
Turkey’s digital edge and proposed areas of support
Turkey is stepping in as a willing ally, with Ambassador İncesu expressing strong interest in supporting Gabon’s digital journey.
Turkey’s global digital standing is robust—it ranks 27th on the UN EGDI, boasting high scores across online services, telecom infrastructure, and human capital. With over 87% internet penetration and nearly universal mobile access, Turkey offers valuable experience in deploying digital systems at scale.
The ambassador proposed specific avenues for collaboration, including assisting Gabon in deploying e-government systems, introducing electronic signatures in official procedures, building out remote payment platforms for public services, and expanding telecommunications infrastructure to underserved regions.
These are critical gaps in Gabon’s digital ecosystem that could benefit from Turkey’s technical and practical expertise.
Next steps in the Gabon-Turkey digital cooperation agenda
While no official agreement has been signed yet, both parties agreed to deepen technical exchanges to identify joint projects that could deliver visible results for Gabonese citizens. The partnership remains in its early stages, but the political will on both sides is clear.
As Gabon looks to reduce its dependence on extractive industries, digital innovation is fast becoming central to its economic agenda. Cooperation with digitally advanced nations like Turkey could help bridge the digital divide and fast-track modernisation. The coming months will show whether these discussions can evolve into actionable projects with real social and economic impact.