Gabon to Introduce Monthly Housing Tax to Boost Revenue Amid Rising Debt

Gabon plans to implement a new housing tax in January to strengthen public finances and address tightening liquidity as the Central African economy faces a mounting debt load, the presidency said.

According to presidential adviser Marie-Noelle Ada Meyo, the monthly tax will apply to both homeowners and tenants, with amounts varying from 1,000 CFA francs ($1.80) to 30,000 CFA francs ($53.88) depending on the size and location of the property. The funds will be allocated to improve public lighting, maintain roads, and enhance city cleanliness. Vulnerable households, schools, and places of worship will be exempted, she said on the presidency’s social media channels.

The measure comes as Gabon faces an acute liquidity squeeze that has increased its reliance on the regional capital markets for funding. Authorities hope the new revenue stream will create fiscal space for essential services while reducing short-term pressure on the treasury.

Data from the national debt authority show Gabon’s total public debt rose to 8.6 trillion CFA francs ($15.45 billion) at the end of October, up from 7.1 trillion a year earlier. The debt includes 4.2 trillion CFA francs in external obligations and 4.4 trillion in domestic borrowings, of which 3.2 trillion are instruments traded on the regional financial market. Arrears stood at 443.6 billion CFA francs at the end of October.

More than one-third of Gabon’s population lives in poverty, according to the World Bank, while large parts of the country still face limited access to water and electricity. These structural challenges highlight the government’s task of balancing debt management and revenue mobilisation with efforts to strengthen living standards and social stability.

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