Gabon has entrusted the China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) with the construction of a 250-kilometer road network in the northern province of Woleu-Ntem. This major infrastructure development project aims to connect the towns of Medouneu to Oyem and Minvoul to Bitam.
The main goal is to ease the movement of goods and people within this province, which is strategically located at the borders of Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and the Republic of Congo. Although details regarding the project’s cost and duration have not yet been disclosed, the initiative is considered essential to unlocking the region’s economic potential, currently constrained by a lack of adequate infrastructure.
Woleu-Ntem’s economy relies primarily on agriculture. The province produces both export crops such as rubber, coffee, and cocoa, as well as food crops like cassava, bananas, and taro. It also holds significant mineral resources, including gold and iron ore.
Improving the road network is crucial. The project is designed to facilitate the transport of agricultural production to major urban centers and to stimulate investment in the agro-industrial sector. In the long term, these new roads are also expected to boost cross-border trade with neighboring countries, thereby strengthening the province’s role as a strategic regional hub.
