Mahama in Gabon for Africa Innovation Forum

President John Dramani Mahama has travelled to Libreville to attend the inaugural Libreville International Forum for Innovation and Development, a one-day high-level summit bringing together African heads of state, investors and technology experts around the theme of governance, business climate and artificial intelligence as engines of continental growth.

The forum, held on Sunday May 3 under the patronage of Gabonese President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, takes place at the Omar Bongo Ondimba Congress Centre, a historic venue recently reconstructed after being demolished in 2014. The event is expected to draw around 1,000 participants from 35 countries and approximately 300 companies, spanning the public sector, private sector and international institutions.

Gabon designed the forum to signal its repositioning as a regional hub for innovation and foreign investment, backed by a new state events body, Gabon Hub Events, established by presidential decree in February 2026 to structure the country’s international conference industry.

The gathering coincides with the first anniversary of President Nguema’s inauguration, a ceremony Mahama also attended in Libreville on May 3, 2025. The timing underscores growing diplomatic engagement between Accra and Libreville since Nguema took power following Gabon’s 2023 military transition.

The forum is expected to conclude with the adoption of the Libreville Declaration, a joint communiqué outlining participating leaders’ commitments on governance, transparency and digital integration across Africa. The programme includes panel discussions, keynote addresses and agreement signings between governments and private sector actors.

Ghana’s presidency said Mahama’s attendance reflects his ongoing effort to deepen international partnerships and bridge the gap between government policy and private investment in support of inclusive development.