Gabon is advancing plans to strengthen and expand its national digital backbone through a proposed public-private partnership between the Société de Patrimoine des Infrastructures Numériques (SPIN) and Gabon Fiber.
Review and validation workshops for the partnership were held in Libreville on September 9 and 10, bringing together government administrations, authorities and technical experts to assess the proposed framework for operating and developing the Gabonese National Backbone.
The sessions were chaired by Aline Sylvie Minko-Mi-Etoua, Secretary General of the Ministry of Digital Economy, Digitalisation and Innovation, representing Minister Mark-Alexandre Doumba.
Participants reviewed the draft partnership agreement and its annexes, with the exercise focused on incorporating observations and recommendations before the contractual framework is finalised.
The proposed project covers approximately 3,420 kilometres of network infrastructure, including 1,769 kilometres of existing network and an additional 1,651 kilometres of planned extensions.
Key areas under review included investment commitments, the resumption of network operations, local value creation, network sovereignty, the financial framework and government oversight of the infrastructure. Participants also assessed the remaining contractual annexes needed to conclude the agreement.
The SPIN-Gabon Fiber agreement is scheduled to be signed on September 14, 2026, in the presence of the Minister of Digital Economy. The signing is expected to mark the transition from the review process to implementation of the partnership.
The government said the initiative is intended to ensure the continued operation, modernisation and expansion of the national backbone, which serves as strategic infrastructure for transporting electronic communications across Gabon.
The project is expected to strengthen national connectivity and digital sovereignty while providing infrastructure to support Gabon’s broader digital transformation ambitions.
