By: Kanto
Kai Okanta
Gabon is moving to enhance and
expand its national digital backbone through a public-private partnership
between the Société de Patrimoine des Infrastructures Numériques (SPIN) and
Gabon Fiber SA, with an agreement expected to be signed on September 14, 2026.
The partnership was reviewed
during two days of workshops held in Libreville on September 9 and 10 to
validate the framework for the operation and development of the Gabonese
National Backbone.
The sessions were chaired by
the Secretary General of the Ministry of Digital Economy, Digitalisation and
Innovation, Aline Sylvie Minko-Mi-Etoua, representing Minister Mark-Alexandre
Doumba.
The review focused on the
draft partnership agreement and its annexes, with government authorities and
technical stakeholders examining the provisions required to ensure the
continuity, modernisation and further development of the national backbone.
The project covers
approximately 3,420 kilometres of network infrastructure, comprising 1,769
kilometres of existing network and 1,651 kilometres of planned extensions.
Discussions addressed
investment requirements, the resumption of network operations, local value
creation, network sovereignty, the financial framework, government oversight
and the completion of the remaining contractual annexes.
The Gabonese National
Backbone is a strategic infrastructure for transporting electronic
communications across the country and is expected to play an important role in
expanding connectivity and supporting the growth of digital services.
The SPIN–Gabon Fiber
agreement is scheduled to be signed on September 14 in the presence of Minister
Mark-Alexandre Doumba, marking the transition from the review and consolidation
phase to implementation of the partnership.
The government said the
partnership is intended to provide a sustainable framework for operating and
developing the national backbone while strengthening Gabon’s digital
infrastructure.
