Gabon

Facing new EU rules, Gabon turns to Asian markets

Facing the upcoming implementation of EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), Gabon's timber industry is undergoing a major strategic transformation. According to Direct Infos Gabon, in order to avoid the cumbersome administrative procedures and rising costs associated with the EU market, some companies in the industry are turning to China, India and other rapidly growing Asian markets.

For Gabon, the key challenge is how to retain added value domestically. Since implementing a landmark log export ban in 2010, the country has been committed to building a genuine local processing industry.

Protecting forests: a task expected to bring income to Gabon's rural communities

On September 11, the Gabonese government, the Central African Forest Initiative (CAFI), the Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations (CDC) and the Agency for the Execution of Forestry and Timber Activities (AEAFFB) signed the third supplementary agreement to the pilot project on payments for ecosystem services (PES) and a memorandum of understanding in Libreville, marking the official launch of the trial phase of the mechanism aimed at benefiting rural populations.

The mechanism is based on a simple principle: direct compensation is provided to local communities for ecosystem services they help protect. In return, beneficiaries must take measurable actions in forest protection, sustainable management and ecological restoration. Through this trial phase, the government aims to place rural populations at the center of its environmental policy.

Gabon's ProxiGab digital platform officially launched

ProxiGab was officially launched on October 2 at the National Digital Infrastructure Agency (ANINF), aiming to become a communication platform for entrepreneurs, investors, suppliers and support institutions. This initiative is not merely the launch of a new digital tool but also lays the foundation for building a new entrepreneurial ecosystem. The solution, supported by the Ministry of Trade, SMEs and Youth Entrepreneurship and developed by ANINF, enables project leaders to showcase their business activities, find partners, seek funding and access support opportunities. The platform is open free of charge and serves formal enterprises, informal sector operators and individual entrepreneurs.

Gabon establishes national committee to review external economic conventions

Recently, Gabon's Council of Ministers approved the establishment of a national committee responsible for overseeing economic conventions between the Gabonese Republic and its partner countries.

Behind this decision is a strategic objective: to better measure the benefits brought by the development of national resources and, where necessary, correct imbalances that may limit the impact of certain contractual commitments on the national economy.

The initiative is based on the government's assessment that Gabon has not fully utilized its natural resources or certain existing contracts.

The committee's task is to review relevant agreements, conduct audits and, where conclusions justify, propose renegotiation. This will include identifying possible contractual imbalances, assessing the benefits obtained by each party, and determining room for improvement in the interest of public finances and the national economy.

Republic of the Congo

The Congo's four major sectors have considerable development potential

The Country Private Sector Diagnostic (CPSD) report released on September 17 by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, shows that if key constraints hindering investment in four high-potential areas are eliminated, the Republic of the Congo could create up to 22,200 jobs and mobilize up to US$1.4 billion in new private sector investment by 2030.

Although the Congolese economy remains highly dependent on oil, the country has important advantages for accelerating economic diversification: vast arable land, the deep-water port of Pointe-Noire and abundant forest resources.

Among the four highlighted sectors, wood processing has the greatest potential. By improving access to raw materials, introducing clearer regulations and increasing local processing, the sector could create 5,300 to 11,500 jobs and mobilize US$560 million to US$1.1 billion in private sector investment.

Port logistics also holds great potential. Improving the operational efficiency of the Port of Pointe-Noire and the Pointe-Noire-Brazzaville corridor—particularly through modernization of customs procedures—can not only consolidate the Congo's position as a regional gateway but also create 2,000 to 6,000 jobs and attract US$70 million to US$200 million in investment.

The Congo launches development of national biodiversity financing plan

On September 29, the Minister of Environment, Sustainable Development and the Congo Basin of the Republic of the Congo chaired the first steering committee (Copil) meeting of the National Biodiversity Financing Plan (BIOFIN) project in Brazzaville. The project, jointly led by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in the Republic of the Congo, aims to help the country expand its terrestrial and marine protected area networks and achieve the goal of 30% protected area coverage by 2030.

The meeting marked a new phase of action to strengthen biodiversity financing and support natural resource conservation and sustainable management. The steering meeting aimed to review the project's main directions, determine intervention priorities and strengthen coordination among parties during implementation.

The Congo's exports surge 54% in second quarter

According to data from the National Institute of Statistics (INS) of the Republic of the Congo, in the second quarter of 2026, the Congo's exports reached 1.46 trillion CFA francs (about US$2.51 billion), up 54.06% year on year and 37.14% quarter on quarter.

Exports were dominated by five key products, accounting for 98.99% of total exports. Crude oil sales reached 1,390.169 billion CFA francs, up 36.51% year on year; log exports were 15.982 billion CFA francs (up 78.55%), and sawnwood exports were 32.155 billion CFA francs (up 94.33%). Cement sales rose 30.80% to 10.132 billion CFA francs, a record high.

Ghana

Ghana's timber product export statistics for first seven months

According to statistics from the Timber Industry Development Division (TIDD) under the Ghana Forestry Commission, compared with the same period in 2025, Ghana's timber product exports declined overall in the first seven months of 2026. Total export volume fell from 126,980 cubic meters to 116,355 cubic meters, a decrease of 8%; export earnings fell 13% year on year.

From January to July 2026, the overall export decline was mainly attributable to lower shipments of major products such as billets and sawnwood. Air-dried sawnwood remained the main export product, accounting for 49% of total export volume in the period, but its export volume fell 24% (to 56,451 cubic meters) and export value fell 33%; its share of total export volume also dropped from 58% to 49%.

Kiln-dried sawnwood exports also fell 22% to 14,363 cubic meters. Among traditional products, billets saw the largest decline, with export volume and export value falling 41% and 51%, respectively. Rotary veneer and wood moulding export volumes also shrank by 20% and 7%, respectively.

In sharp contrast to the overall downward trend, plywood and specialty products achieved strong growth.

Prices of various construction materials in Ghana rise as of August

The latest data from the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) show that in the year to August 2026, steel prices fell 8.9%, while the price of reinforcing steel bars used to strengthen concrete structures rose 24.2%. This divergence highlights the differentiated trends in construction cost changes.

Prices of other construction inputs also rose significantly. Plumbing materials rose 26.1%, small tools 23.4%, roofing sheets 21.7%, glass materials 20.4%, and electrical engineering materials 19.8%.

However, prices of some major construction materials fell. Cement prices dropped 7.1% during the year, although this decline was smaller than the 14.5% recorded in May. Fine aggregate prices fell 5.1%, and timber prices fell 0.8%.

Labour cost trends also moved in the opposite direction. Labour costs showed negative growth of 2.9% (i.e., a price decline), with unskilled labour costs down 4.6% and skilled labour costs down 1.8%.

Analysis of Ghana's non-coniferous saw logs and veneer logs industry in 2026

An analysis report released by market research firm IndexBox states that Ghana's non-coniferous saw log and veneer log market is structurally export-oriented, with an estimated 55-70% of commercial transactions related to exports of veneer, plywood and processed wood, making the industry highly vulnerable to global construction and furniture demand cycles.

Increasing regulatory pressure on legal timber procurement in European and North American markets has prompted Ghanaian suppliers to turn to certification systems and formal chain-of-custody documentation, thereby reshaping the competitive landscape between compliant exporters and informal operators. Driven by urbanization and infrastructure spending, domestic demand for sawnwood from Ghana's construction and furniture industries is growing at a moderate rate, but it still lags behind export-oriented veneer and plywood production. As natural forest harvesting faces stricter restrictions, the market share of non-coniferous logs from plantations is gradually expanding, with teak, eucalyptus and other fast-growing species occupying an increasingly important position in the supply structure.

The report also notes that Asian markets (especially Vietnam, China and India) are becoming increasingly important for Ghana's veneer and plywood exports, while European buyers' demand for high-grade veneer and certified timber remains significant.