Andem lays the foundation for Gabon transformation

Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, president of Gabon, laid the foundation stone for the construction of the new “Libreville 2” city and Andem International Airport last April.

These two projects aim to modernise the country's airport infrastructure, strengthen air connectivity, support tourism development and stimulate economic growth through foreign investment.

Work on the new airport entrusted to Panafrican group Ebomaf will run over four years. The airport complex will cover an area of 30,000 hectares and will be equipped with modern infrastructure, a 3.5 km runway and a 35,000 m² terminal. It will be able to handle up to five million passengers a year. Financed under a public-private partnership model, the project is worth around US$360m.

Gabonese authorities aim to transform the new Amden Airport into a hub in Central Africa. This project is part of a broader national programme to modernise and rehabilitate the country's airport infrastructure. A partnership was signed in August 2023 between the Gabonese government and GSEZ Airport to promote domestic travel, open up the remote provinces, improve passenger safety and comfort, and create direct and indirect jobs for young people.

Moreover, the Gabonese president launched the modernised Makokou Airport, renamed Emmanuel Issoze Ngondet. Significant work has been carried out: compliance with safety and security standards, expansion of the administrative building and runway, as well as the rehabilitation of the terminal.

As part of the modernisation programme, the Gabonese authorities carried out a stake acquisition operation with Afrijet and launched a new airline, Fly Gabon, during summer 2024. After Port Harcourt in Nigeria, an inaugural flight to Bangui was operated last March. This consolidation also aims to pool expertise and skills to improve the efficiency of the new state administration.

Gabon is thus embarking on a major turning point in the development of its infrastructure to weigh in fully in the region.