Job creation in industry and services has not been sufficient to drive structural transformation in Gabon.  Inactivity and unemployment rates are high at 52% and 14% of the working population aged 15–64 years. The unemployment rates are particularly high among youth (21%) and women (19% vs. 11% for men), and rise to 32% and 29%, respectively when discouraged workers are included. About 50% of the unemployed are less than 30 years old and/or first-time job seekers, underlying the difficulty of the young generations to access the labour market.

To create jobs and reduce poverty, it is essential that Gabon increases its growth potential substantially through economic diversification, the accumulation of human capital and physical assets, and by attracting private investment in agriculture, fisheries,  manufacturing, ecotourism, green economy, environmental services and digital services, which have a large untapped potential to support structural transformation.

By focusing on SDG Target 8.5 Enhancing trade in goods and services, Gabon can open new drivers of growth, create jobs and reduce poverty and inequality. These new drivers of growth will help Gabon to break free from its resource dependent growth model and create the conditions to move people into jobs in promising green sectors.

Progress on Target 8.5 should be supported with policies to reduce energy intensity and increase its efficiency to mitigate the negative impact on the share of renewable energy (Target 7.2), energy efficiency (Target 7.3) and strengthening its resilience to environmental and climate shocks by leveraging trade in carbon credits linked to the preservation of rainforests.

SDG 9.2 aims to foster inclusive and sustainable industrialization in Gabon while simultaneously enhancing its economic transformation. Heavy reliance on oil has hampered  the country's economic transformation. The country is one of the most highly commodity-dependent economies in the world, with oil, manganese and other extractives accounting for 98% of merchandise exports in 2021. Lack of economic diversification makes the economy vulnerable to external shocks and slows progress on reducing inequality, poverty and unemployment. Economic diversification offers multiple benefits, such as macroeconomic stability, economic growth, job creation and development, alongside promoting greater private sector activity, more sustainable public finances and greater skill diversity in the labour force.

However, the pursuit of economic diversification via industrialization also entails trade-offs. It requires careful consideration of environmental sustainability as industrial activities can have adverse ecological impacts — affecting ecosystems (15, 2), potable water (6), life below water (14) and life on land (15).  Rapid industrialization could put pressure on energy access (7.2) at the expense of energy sustainability (7.2, 7.3). Ensuring inclusivity in this process is crucial to prevent potential social, gender, and territorial inequalities (10. 5).

By investing in SDG 9.2 (Industry, Infrastructure and Innovation), Gabon can improve on current employment challenges and focus on key priorities around the eradication of poverty, reducing inequality, improving the business environment and stimulating private sector investment. This would be complemented with reviving the country’s agriculture, fisheries, manufacturing, stimulating ecotourism, environmental services and digital services; and leveraging trade in carbon credits linked to the preservation of rainforest will increase employment in the non-oil private sector.

Despite having all transport modes, Gabon faces a critical infrastructure gap.   Poor and inadequate infrastructure is a key barrier to private sector-led growth and in expanding economic opportunities for households. With one of the highest urbanization rates in Africa, Gabon needs to promote integrated urban development. This means better urban planning, improving roads and local transport, and greater access to greener and more resilient infrastructure in underserved neighbourhoods.

To improve the quality and access to transport and infrastructure services, Gabon needs to  develop a more integrated approach to transport and infrastructure connectivity anchored on a long-term multimodal strategy and a priority investment plan to coordinate efforts and mobilize additional financing for the following: the primary roads network, road maintenance, climate-resilient road construction, digital public infrastructure,  increased competition for international flights  and increasing private sector participation in infrastructure investment through public-private partnerships (PPPs).

Providing access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all reduces extreme poverty and inequalities and enhances inclusive growth through stimulating private sector investment, access to jobs, health care, education services and other public goods when adequately supported by environmental safeguards on SDG Targets 2.3, 7.2 and 14.2.