Gabon recorded a trade surplus of $6.90 billion in 2025, according to data from Afreximbank’s African Trade Report 2026. This result, achieved amid a global slowdown in trade, falling oil prices and disruptions to maritime routes, highlights the structural strength of the country’s external position.
The surplus stems from a net difference between exports, which held steady at $10.73 billion, and imports, which remained stable at $3.83 billion. With an export-to-import ratio above 2.8 to 1, Gabon occupies a favourable position within the CEMAC zone, where several other economies saw their trade balances shrink under rising freight and input costs.
The international backdrop was far from supportive. Global merchandise trade grew only 4.6% in 2025, after a contraction in 2023, and forecasts for 2026 point to a sharp slowdown to 1.4%. In that environment, maintaining such a significant surplus sends a positive signal to investors and institutional partners of Gabon.
Gabon’s trade surplus also provides a basis for rebuilding foreign exchange reserves, which currently stand at $1 billion, equivalent to 2.1 months of import cover. This level, below the IMF’s recommended three-month threshold, remains the main point of caution for policymakers. Translating a structural trade surplus into consolidated reserves is one of the most immediate macroeconomic management challenges facing Libreville.
