Gabon’s president outlines vision for water and electricity access, announces seeg split

While President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema has addressed this critical issue previously, the current national context compelled him to articulate a renewed commitment to transparency. He candidly acknowledged that achieving a consistent water supply for Gabonese households is not an immediate fix, urging citizens to exercise patience.

Essential utilities like water and electricity continue to be scarce resources for numerous families residing in Grand Libreville and Gabon’s diverse interior regions. Highlighting the substantial government investments made since the Transition period, President Oligui Nguema confidently affirmed that “solutions will be identified.”

However, the pressing question remains: when will these improvements materialize? Time is a critical factor, and communities across Gabon still struggle daily to access these fundamental necessities. Denouncing what he described as catastrophic management over the past 14 years, Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema has now vowed to put an end to this prolonged hardship.

Fully aware of the profound shortcomings within the Société d’énergie et d’eau du Gabon (SEEG), the head of state announced a decisive plan to split the public company.

As he emphasized, “The SEEG, in its current state, is incapable of making necessary investments. This is precisely why it requires comprehensive reform. The company operates with an excessively large workforce, employing 2,300 individuals, yet only comprising 300 engineers and approximately 500 field agents. Therefore, the SEEG will be divided into two distinct entities: one dedicated to water management and the other to electricity.”

This strategic restructuring of the company is designed to separate and significantly improve the management of production, distribution, and commercialization for both vital services.