Gabon: Inauguration of the Ngongui field, boosting national production by 10,000 barrels a day.

The President of the Transition, General Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, has officially inaugurated the Ngongui oil field, located in the province of Ogooué Maritime. This start of production marks a new stage in Gabon’s energy sovereignty strategy and will immediately add 10,000 barrels per day to national production, bringing the consolidated annual volume to 3.84 million barrels.

The Ngongui field is part of the oil sector’s recovery, which has been gaining momentum since the change of government in August 2023. In particular, it follows the Gabonese government’s strategic acquisition of Assala Energy in June 2024. Just two years after this acquisition, Assala is reporting total production of over 60,000 barrels per day, demonstrating the country’s capacity to manage its oil assets.

“This inauguration demonstrates the authorities’ commitment to maximising oil revenues for the public purse and reducing dependence on foreign operators,” government sources emphasise. Drilling operations have been entrusted to SMP (Société de Maintenance Pétrolière), whilst production is being handled by Assala, thereby strengthening local expertise and the reappropriation of extractive resources.

This new production is expected to generate significant additional revenue for the Gabonese government at a time when the economy is recovering. It will help to fund infrastructure development and support the diversification of the economy beyond the hydrocarbons sector. The government is counting on this knock-on effect to boost the industrial sector and attract new investment to the Gabonese sedimentary basin.

In the medium term, several development projects are already in the pipeline, reflecting the authorities’ ambition to maintain a steady pace of investment in the upstream oil sector. Maintaining high standards of safety and operational performance at the Ngongui field is seen as essential to enhancing Gabon’s appeal to international investors.

With this inauguration, Gabon reaffirms its determination to manage its oil sector – a long-standing pillar of its economy – in a more autonomous and cost-effective manner, whilst preparing for its transition to a more diversified and self-reliant economy.