The World Bank approved $150 million in financing today from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development to the Republic of Gabon for the Access to Basic Services and Performance Improvement Project, the bank said in a statement. The operation will support the government’s priorities to modernize water and electricity services, advance universal access, and strengthen the financial viability of service providers while contributing to climate adaptation and mitigation objectives.
Although 90 percent of the urban population has access to basic water services and 94 percent to electricity, the benefits are undermined by frequent service interruptions and suboptimal quality. Meanwhile, only 55 percent of Gabon’s rural population has access to water and 29 percent to electricity services. The near-total absence of sanitation and fecal sludge treatment infrastructure in Gabon results in widespread contamination of surface and groundwater and a heightened risk of waterborne diseases.
The project is expected to benefit roughly 535,000 people through the extension of access to piped water and electricity services, improvements in the reliability and quality of existing services, and the introduction of safely managed sanitation services. The project also places a strong emphasis on climate resilience and the deployment of low-carbon solutions, including in rural and peri-urban areas.
“Improving access to basic services is essential to strengthen human capital, support inclusive economic growth, and enhance resilience to climate shocks,” said Cheick Fantamady Kanté, World Bank Division Director for Cameroon, Central African Republic, the Republic of Congo, Gabon, and Equatorial Guinea. “This project combines priority investments with the reforms needed to sustainably improve sector performance and ensure reliable services for households and businesses.”
The project is fully aligned with Gabon’s National Development Plan 2025–2032, the World Bank–Gabon Country Partnership Framework, and the World Bank Group’s Water Strategy to improve water security by 2030 and its Mission 300 initiative to connect people to electricity in Africa by 2030.