The 2025 Finance Law of Gabon, enacted on December 30, 2024, allocates FCFA 2 794 543 066 226 in total budgetary expenditures and authorizes FCFA 978 379 837 344 in external financing for the year.
A significant portion of this funding goes toward strengthening water and electricity infrastructure—through both externally financed projects and direct subsidies to the national utility.
This article breaks down every dedicated water and power initiative for 2025, highlighting budgets, technical scope, and expected impacts in clear, data-driven terms.
1. Externally Financed Projects
1.1 Water-Only Project
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1.2 Multi-Sector Projects Including Water & Power
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Project PASIG Phase I
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Objective: Strengthen basic infrastructure in rural and peri-urban areas.
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Components:
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Rehabilitation of 150 km of rural roads
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Extension of 200 km of potable-water pipelines
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Installation of 5 solar-powered mini-pumping stations serving 20 isolated villages
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Rationale: Improve access to clean water and reliable electricity, reduce transport costs, and promote local economic development.
Project PADIG
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Objective: De-risk and prepare major water and power investments.
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Components:
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Detailed cost-benefit and environmental studies for upcoming water-treatment and generation facilities
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Technical assessments of grid interconnection and renewables integration
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Rationale: Secure “bankable” project designs to attract larger concessional and commercial financing.
1.3 Basic Services Access Project
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2. Public Utility Subsidies
In addition to project-specific financing, the 2025 budget maintains a flat subsidy to ensure uninterrupted water and electricity services:
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Budget line: SEEG Operating Subsidy (water & electricity)
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2024 Allocation: FCFA 11 100 000 000
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2025 Allocation: FCFA 11 100 000 000 (unchanged)
This subsidy bridges the gap between tariff revenues and operating costs, guaranteeing stable service even when market-based rates fall short.
3. Key Figures & Technical Highlights
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Total external financing (2025): FCFA 978 379 837 344
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Minimum dedicated to water/electricity projects: FCFA 19 122 920 000 (sum of the three projects; actual sector share in multi-sector loans may be higher)
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Utility subsidy as a share of total budget: 11 100 000 000 / 2 794 543 066 226 ≈ 0.40%.
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Up-front study budgets (PADIG): FCFA 4 000 000 000 earmarked for feasibility and design work to minimize investment risks.
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Regulatory trigger: Any single public investment above FCFA 5 000 000 000 must be preceded by a formal cost-benefit study.
4. Expected Impact for Gabon
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Service Stability: The maintained FCFA 11.1 billion subsidy secures SEEG’s ability to deliver continuous water and power, crucial for households, health facilities, and industries.
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Investment Readiness: FCFA 4 billion in preparatory financing equips Gabon to present bankable water-treatment and power-generation projects to international financiers.
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Targeted Upgrades: PASIG and PASBAP funds will directly enhance rural and peri-urban networks, reducing service gaps and increasing system resilience.
Read the full Finance Law 2025 (in French):
