In a pivotal moment for Gabon, Gen. Brice Oligui Nguema was sworn in as the country’s fourth president on Saturday, marking the start of a new constitutional era following the military coup of 2023. The event, held in Libreville’s stadium, attracted hundreds of thousands of citizens eager to witness the historic occasion.
Nguema, aged 50 and the former head of Gabon’s republican guard unit, has stepped into the presidency with a robust agenda aimed at reshaping the nation’s economy, education system, and job landscape. As part of his inaugural address, Nguema expressed a commitment to ending the nation’s reliance on oil and reducing youth unemployment, outlining a vision of “democratic renewal” while pledging to unite all Gabonese citizens.
Securing victory over seven rivals in the April 12 election, Nguema emerged as a clear favorite, outpacing his closest competitor, outgoing Prime Minister Alain Claude Bilie-By-Nze, who garnered only 3% of the vote. With voter turnout reaching 70.11%, over 920,000 Gabonese, including 28,000 foreigners, participated across thousands of polling stations.
Challenges persist for Gabon, particularly high unemployment rates among young graduates and an over-reliance on oil revenues. The country also grapples with inadequate infrastructure, impacting transportation and essential services like access to clean water. In 2023, Nguema had ousted President Ali Bongo Ondimba and subsequently led a transitional government before his decisive election victory, where he received 58,074 votes, equivalent to 94.85% of those cast.
In his address to the nation post-inauguration, Nguema promised to forge a “different Gabon” more attuned to the people’s aspirations through economic diversification and engagement with international investors.
Political analyst Serge Loungou from Omar Bongo University noted the extent of public optimism in Nguema’s promises yet cautioned that effective implementation is critical due to the nation’s pressing issues: a struggling economy reliant on oil, significant youth unemployment, and the pressing need for improved infrastructure and social services.
With a population of 2.3 million, of whom a third endure poverty despite the country’s oil wealth, Gabon is scheduled to conduct legislative and local elections in September, which many hope will further strengthen its journey toward stability and development.