The Gabonese government has strengthened its commitment to digital transformation by establishing a public-private partnership (PPP) to develop its national data centre.
Six months after signing an initial agreement with Cybastion, the government has now formalized a partnership with the National Agency for Digital Infrastructure and Frequencies (ANINF), a key pillar in safeguarding the country’s digital sovereignty.
This initiative underscores Gabon’s strategy to foster collaboration between the public and private sectors to accelerate digital development. Minister of the Digital Economy, Digitalization, and Innovation Mark Alexandre Doumba reaffirmed this approach on 11 June during discussions with leaders of the Gabonese Business Federation (FEG). Since the start of the year, the government has engaged with several private sector stakeholders, including Tech 41, Visa, Huawei, Moov Africa Gabon Telecom, and Afrastructure SAS.
The significance of this PPP model is supported by a study from the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) published in October 2024, which emphasizes that such collaborations are vital for strengthening the digital economy and overcoming the substantial funding gap — estimated at $97 billion in sub-Saharan Africa, representing about 19% of the global need.
UNESCO highlights that public-private partnerships leverage the strengths of both sectors to deliver public services and infrastructure more efficiently. These collaborations typically involve risk sharing, long-term contracts, private investments, and performance-based payments.
Details regarding the specific terms of the partnership between Gabon’s government, via ANINF, and Cybastion, as well as the project’s implementation timeline, remain undisclosed. The DCO emphasizes the importance of coordinated efforts among governments and non-state actors to foster rapid technology adoption, drive innovative investment strategies, and build a resilient digital sector in emerging economies.
