Gabon Advances National Backbone Project With 3,420km Network Plan
The exercise was aimed at incorporating observations and recommendations ahead of finalising the contractual framework.
Gabon is moving ahead with plans to strengthen and develop 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, focusing on the operation and future development of 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.
The discussions brought together relevant government administrations, authorities and technical experts to review the draft partnership agreement and its annexes. The exercise was aimed at incorporating observations and recommendations ahead of finalising the contractual framework.
The proposed project covers approximately 3,420 kilometres of network infrastructure, comprising 1,769 kilometres of existing network and a further 1,651 kilometres of planned extensions.
Key areas discussed included investment commitments, the resumption of network operations, local value creation, network sovereignty, the financial framework and the government’s oversight of the infrastructure. Participants also reviewed the remaining contractual annexes required 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, marking the transition from the review phase 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 a strategic infrastructure for transporting electronic communications across Gabon.
The development is expected to strengthen national connectivity and digital sovereignty while providing infrastructure to support Gabon’s broader digital transformation agenda.
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