Gabon’s Oil Industry Urged to Transform Corporate Social Responsibility Approach

Gabon’s Oil Industry Urged to Transform Corporate Social Responsibility Approach

Gabon’s petroleum sector faces calls for substantial CSR reform following criticism that current programs rely too heavily on one-off sponsorships and donations rather than structured, measurable initiatives aligned with national development priorities. Minister of Petroleum and Gas Sosthène Nguema Nguema recently emphasized that “CSR funds must be domiciled within the national territory” during a Port-Gentil visit.

Industry observers argue that genuine CSR should combine economic, social, and environmental performance through cross-cutting approaches that guide corporate decision-making. The 2019 Hydrocarbons Code, supplemented by implementing decrees, establishes clear obligations for local content, training, skills transfer, and procurement from Gabonese companies, with a dedicated General Directorate created within the Ministry in January 2025.

Critics contend that the boundary between CSR and tokenistic actions remains unclear in Gabon, citing examples of football jersey donations and concert sponsorships that fail to replace structured professional integration programs or local SME support. The issue gained prominence following a July 2023 hostage incident near the Coucal production site, highlighting tensions between operators, the state, and local populations.

Reform recommendations include clarifying distinctions between philanthropy and genuine CSR, aligning social investments with health, education, and economic diversification priorities, and strengthening local content requirements to support Gabonese SMEs meeting sector technical standards.

Source: born2invest.com