AGP Executive Report

Offshore Oil & Gas: VAALCO Energy says its Ebouri-5H development well offshore Gabon is now on production, hitting 300m of net pay in Gamba sands and an initial rate above 8,000 bpd gross (very low water cut), then moving the rig to the SEENT platform to drill ETBNM-3 targeting gas and condensate to cut diesel costs. Port & Logistics Buildout: AGL and Algest Investment Bank have started construction of Gabon’s Kobe-Kobe port, part of the Belinga logistics corridor with a 550-km railway aimed at exporting over 100 million tonnes of iron ore annually and creating tens of thousands of jobs. Digital Infrastructure: ST Digital plans to inaugurate Gabon’s first eco-responsible Tier III data centre on 30 June, with redundant power and cooling for colocation, cloud and AI-ready services. Public Health & Research: KNUST has joined the DENSTAR project to fast-track dengue vaccine trials in Africa, with over €11m secured for Phase III work led from the continent. Agriculture & Exports: CEMAC agricultural export earnings face pressure as cocoa prices slump, with BEAC data showing agricultural export prices down sharply in Q1 2026, led by cocoa’s steep fall. Energy Markets: BEAC also reports a Q1 rebound in CEMAC export prices, driven by higher global oil and gas prices after a prior decline.

Offshore Oil Update (Gabon): VAALCO Energy says it has successfully drilled, completed and placed on production the Ebouri-5H development well offshore Gabon, reporting strong initial flow rates (over 8,000 gross BOPD, low water cut) and has mobilized the rig to the SEENT platform to drill the ETBNM-3 development well, with gas planned for field operations to cut diesel costs. Port & Rail Build-Out (Belinga corridor): AGL and Algest Investment Bank have started construction of the Kobe-Kobe port in Gabon, a key node in the 550-km Belinga logistics corridor aimed at moving high-grade iron ore to the Atlantic, targeting exports of over 100 million tonnes annually and tens of thousands of jobs. Data Infrastructure (Gabon): ST Digital plans to inaugurate Gabon’s first eco-responsible Tier III-standard data centre on 30 June, with redundant power/cooling and AI-ready colocation and cloud services. Agriculture & Exports (CEMAC): BEAC data show CEMAC agricultural export prices rose in Q1 2026 after a cocoa-led slump, while Cocoa Price Slump (CEMAC): earlier figures also highlight how cocoa price swings have been dragging earnings. Energy Prices (CEMAC): BEAC reports a rebound in global energy prices lifted the CEMAC export index after three quarters of decline. Mining Deal Watch (Gabon-linked): Orion Critical Mineral Consortium is reportedly evaluating a stake in French miner Eramet, which operates in Gabon, as competition for energy-transition minerals heats up. Regional Food Security (Gabon): Korea’s KAFACI rice assistance enters a second phase, shifting toward drought- and salinity-tolerant seed development for rain-fed areas, with Gabon among participating countries.

Port & Rail Build-Out: AGL and Algest Investment Bank have started construction of Gabon’s Kobe-Kobe port, a core node in the Belinga logistics corridor, with a 550-km railway planned to move high-grade iron ore to the coast and target exports of 100M+ tonnes annually. Digital Infrastructure: ST Digital says it will inaugurate Gabon’s first eco-responsible Tier III data centre on 30 June, with redundant power/cooling and AI-ready colocation and cloud services. Mining/Logistics Finance Signals: The Kobe-Kobe port push underlines how Belinga-linked infrastructure is moving from planning to works, aiming to modernize supply chains and create tens of thousands of jobs. Agribusiness Pressure: Cocoa price slumps dragged down CEMAC agricultural export earnings in Q1 2026, with cocoa the main driver of falling prices across Cameroon, Congo, Gabon and others. Energy Market Context: BEAC data shows CEMAC export prices edged up in Q1 2026 as global energy prices rebounded, lifting crude and gas values after a prior decline. Food Security Tech Transfer: Korea’s KAFACI rice programme enters phase two in Africa, shifting toward drought- and stress-tolerant seed development for rain-fed regions, including Gabon.

Gabon Infrastructure & Mining Logistics: AGL and Algest Investment Bank have started construction of the Kobe-Kobe port in Gabon, a core node of the Belinga logistics corridor, with a 550-kilometre rail line planned to move high-grade iron ore to the coast for export—targeting more than 100 million tonnes annually and tens of thousands of jobs. Digital Infrastructure: ST Digital says it will inaugurate Gabon’s first eco-responsible Tier III data centre on 30 June, built for colocation, cloud and AI-ready services with redundant power and cooling. Cocoa & Agriculture Exports: CEMAC agricultural export prices rose slightly in Q1 2026, but cocoa drove volatility—Cocoa prices fell sharply in the quarter, dragging earnings for Cameroon, Congo, Gabon and others. Energy & Oil Operations: Vaalco restarted production at the Baobab field (CI-40 block) after a nine-month FPSO refurbishment, bringing four wells back online with more expected soon—an update that matters for regional offshore output. Trade & Customs Capacity: WCO’s EU-WCO Rules of Origin Africa Programme is training national experts to strengthen rules-of-origin implementation, supporting compliant trade across participating countries including Gabon. Media & Talent: Talentz MEDIA is recruiting volunteer entertainment writers across Africa, including Gabon, to expand its editorial network.

Gabon Infrastructure & Logistics: AGL and Algest Investment Bank have started construction of the Kobe-Kobe port in Gabon, a core node of the Belinga logistics corridor, with a 550-km railway planned to move high-grade iron ore to the Atlantic; the integrated plan targets exports of over 100 million tonnes annually and tens of thousands of jobs. Digital Infrastructure: ST Digital says it will inaugurate Gabon’s first eco-responsible Tier III data centre on 30 June, built for colocation, cloud and AI-ready services with redundant power and cooling. Cocoa & Agriculture: CEMAC agricultural export earnings face pressure as BEAC data show a sharp fall in Q1 2026 prices, led by a 24.6% cocoa drop, dragging overall export price performance. Energy Markets: BEAC also reports a Q1 2026 rebound in CEMAC export prices (+0.7% q/q) driven by higher global oil and gas prices. Regional Trade Finance: Afreximbank committed $83bn to Nigeria since inception, including support for industrial parks and special economic zones, with Gabon cited among projects boosting local value addition. Oil & Production: Vaalco restarted production at the Baobab field (CI-40 block) after a nine-month FPSO refurbishment, bringing four wells back online with more expected in 2026.

Port & Rail Build-Out (Gabon): AGL and Algest Investment Bank have started construction of the Kobe-Kobe port in Gabon, tied to the Belinga logistics corridor— a 550-km railway to move high-grade iron ore to the coast—aiming to support exports of over 100 million tonnes annually and create tens of thousands of jobs. Digital Infrastructure (Gabon): ST Digital says it will inaugurate Gabon’s first eco-responsible Tier III data centre on 30 June, with redundant power and cooling for colocation, cloud services and AI-ready infrastructure. Mining/Trade Economics (CEMAC): BEAC data show cocoa-led weakness hit CEMAC agricultural export earnings in Q1 2026, with agricultural export prices down 21.8% quarter-on-quarter. Energy & Macroeconomic Signals (CEMAC): The same BEAC index also shows a rebound in CEMAC export prices in Q1 2026, driven by higher global oil and gas prices. Oil Operations (Region): Vaalco restarted production at the Baobab field after a nine-month FPSO refurbishment, bringing four wells back online off Côte d’Ivoire. Food Security (Gabon/Africa): Korea’s KAFACI rice assistance enters a second phase, developing drought- and stress-tolerant seeds for rain-fed areas, with Gabon involved via the programme’s local work. Governance/Standards (Africa): DR Congo acceded to the Luxembourg Rail Protocol, a move meant to unlock cheaper private rail financing across the region, with Gabon already a founding contracting state.

Port & Rail Build-Out (Gabon): AGL and Algest Investment Bank have started construction of the Kobe-Kobe port in Gabon, a core node of the Belinga logistics corridor, with a 550-km railway planned to move high-grade iron ore to the coast for exports of over 100 million tonnes annually. Digital Infrastructure (Gabon): ST Digital says it will inaugurate Gabon’s first eco-responsible Tier III data centre on 30 June, built for colocation, cloud and AI-ready services with redundant power and cooling. Mining/Trade Economics (CEMAC): BEAC data show CEMAC agricultural export prices fell sharply in Q1 2026, down 21.8% quarter-on-quarter, led by a 24.6% cocoa price drop; meanwhile energy prices lifted the CEMAC export index in Q1 after three quarters of decline. Oil & Gas (region): Vaalco restarted production at the Baobab field on the CI-40 block offshore Côte d’Ivoire after a nine-month FPSO refurbishment, bringing four wells back online. Food Security (Gabon): Korea’s KAFACI rice aid enters phase two, shifting to drought- and stress-tolerant seed development for rain-fed farming, with Gabon among the targeted partners. Rail Finance (Gabon-linked): DR Congo acceded to the Luxembourg Rail Protocol, reinforcing a framework that Gabon helped found to unlock private rolling-stock finance across the region.

Digital Infrastructure: ST Digital will inaugurate Gabon’s first eco-responsible Tier III data centre on 30 June, built for colocation, cloud and AI-ready services with redundant power and cooling aimed at cutting energy use. Port & Rail Logistics: AGL and Algest Investment Bank have started construction of the Kobe-Kobe port in Gabon, a core node of the Belinga logistics corridor, linking the 550-km rail line to a new four-berth mineral port for high-grade iron ore exports. CEMAC Trade Revenues: BEAC reports CEMAC export prices rose 0.7% in Q1 2026, driven by a 23% jump in energy prices, lifting the region’s commodity export index after a prior decline. Food Security & Agriculture: Korea’s KAFACI rice assistance enters phase two in Africa, shifting toward drought- and salinity-tolerant seed development for rain-fed farming, with Gabon among the participating countries. Energy Markets: A global report argues fossil-fuel wealth in Africa hasn’t delivered inclusive development, leaving economies more extractive and vulnerable. Oil & Gas Operations: Vaalco restarted production at the Baobab field after a nine-month FPSO refurbishment, with output resuming from four wells and more restarts expected. Rail Finance: DR Congo acceded to the Luxembourg Rail Protocol, a move meant to unlock private rail rolling-stock financing across the region, with Gabon already a founding contracting state.

Port & Logistics in Gabon: AGL has kicked off construction of the Kobe-Kobe port in Gabon, tied to the Belinga iron-ore logistics corridor, aiming to move over 100 million tonnes of ore annually and support tens of thousands of jobs. Energy & Production: Vaalco restarted oil production at the Baobab field on Côte d’Ivoire’s CI-40 block after a nine-month FPSO refurbishment in Dubai, with four wells back online and more expected soon. Food Security (Gabon-linked): Korea’s KAFACI rice program enters phase two, shifting to drought- and stress-tolerant seed development for rain-fed areas, with Gabon among the participating countries. Regional Trade Finance: Afreximbank says it has committed $83bn to Nigeria, with projects in Lagos, as the city prepares to host the next Intra-African Trade Fair. Rail Finance: DR Congo acceded to the Luxembourg Rail Protocol, which Gabon helped found, paving the way for easier private financing of rolling stock across the region.

CEMAC Energy Signals Turnaround: BEAC’s June 10 Composite Commodity Price Index shows CEMAC export prices up 0.7% quarter-on-quarter in Q1 2026, breaking a slide that started in Q2 2025, with energy prices up 23% as oil averaged $75.7 a barrel and gas prices jumped 23.2% amid Middle East tensions and OPEC+ quota discipline. Gabon Logistics Push: AGL says construction has started on the Kobe-Kobe port in Gabon, tied to the Belinga iron-ore rail corridor, targeting over 100 million tonnes of annual ore exports and tens of thousands of jobs. Gabon Oil Output Resumes: Vaalco restarted production at the Baobab field (CI-40, offshore Côte d’Ivoire) after a nine-month FPSO refurbishment, bringing four wells back online with more expected soon—an upstream reminder of how maintenance cycles affect regional supply. Rail Finance in the Region: DR Congo formally acceded to the Luxembourg Rail Protocol, effective Oct 1, 2026, with Gabon already a founding contracting state—good news for unlocking private rail rolling-stock finance. Health & Agriculture Support: Korea’s KAFACI rice program enters phase two, shifting to drought- and stress-tolerant seed development for rain-fed areas, with AfricaRice support. Industry R&D Boost: DENSTAR launched a €11m dengue vaccine initiative across sub-Saharan Africa, with KNUST playing a key role in trials and regulatory pathways. Trade Capacity Building: EU-WCO origin rules training is expanding via national expert pools, with Customs officials in multiple countries now ready to train peers on preferential rules of origin.

Port & Logistics in Gabon: AGL has kicked off construction of the Kobe-Kobe port in Gabon, tied to the Belinga iron-ore rail corridor (550 km) aimed at moving 100+ million tonnes of ore annually and boosting industrial exports and jobs. Marine Infrastructure Finance: Indian contractor Afcons Infrastructure (Afcons) secured a Rs 5,301 crore, 10.14 km breakwater contract for Vadhvan Port in Maharashtra—its shares jumped on the Letter of Award, highlighting continued global demand for large-scale marine works. Oil & Gas Restart: Vaalco Energy restarted production at the Baobab field (CI-40 block) off Côte d’Ivoire after a nine-month FPSO refurbishment in Dubai; four wells are producing with more restarts expected, supporting a 2026 development drilling push. Trade Capacity Building: Under the EU-WCO Rules of Origin Africa Programme, Customs officials from several countries (including Nigeria and others) completed training to strengthen rules-of-origin implementation—key for smoother preferential trade use. Conservation Tech (Gabon): A new bioacoustics approach is using sound “baselines” to detect ecological change in forests, with Gabon included in pilot monitoring.

Port & Logistics in Focus: AGL has kicked off construction of the Kobe-Kobe port in Gabon, tied to a 550-km railway linking the Belinga iron-ore region to the coast, targeting exports of 100m+ tonnes of ore annually and tens of thousands of jobs. Marine Infrastructure Watch: Afcons Infrastructure secured a ₹5,301-crore contract for a 10.14-km breakwater at India’s Vadhvan Port, with shares jumping as the firm cites its experience including the New Owendo International Port in Gabon. Oil & Gas Update: Vaalco restarted production at the Baobab field offshore Côte d’Ivoire after a nine-month FPSO refurbishment in Dubai; four wells are producing, with more expected to come online as a 2026 Phase 5 drilling program ramps up. Trade Facilitation: The EU-WCO Rules of Origin Africa Programme is training national origin-determination experts across West and Central Africa, including customs teams from Nigeria, Comoros, Morocco, The Gambia and others. Conservation & Data: A Gabon-linked bioacoustics study is using sound baselines to spot ecological change in logged forests where satellite views can look unchanged.

Marine Infrastructure: Afcons Infrastructure shares jumped after the firm won a ₹5,301 crore Letter of Award for a 10.14 km breakwater at India’s Vadhvan Port, a project expected to become the second-longest of its kind. Offshore Oil Restart: Vaalco Energy restarted production at the Baobab field on Côte d’Ivoire’s CI-40 block after a nine-month FPSO refurbishment in Dubai; four wells are producing with three more expected to return soon, supporting a Phase 5 drilling push in H2 2026. Trade Facilitation: With WCO support under the EU-WCO Rules of Origin Africa Programme, Customs “Training of Trainers” pools were formed in Nigeria, Comoros, Morocco, The Gambia and others to strengthen rules-of-origin implementation across preferential trade deals. Public Health & Industry: A €11m DENSTAR consortium launched a four-year dengue vaccine trial aimed at accelerating efficacy, safety and regulatory approval for sub-Saharan Africa. Mining & Environment: A study highlights the forest footprint of critical minerals extraction across sub-Saharan Africa, feeding into G7 plans to secure supply while managing environmental costs. Energy Security Watch: EU member states authorized Mediterranean inspections of sanctioned Russian oil tankers under Operation IRINI, raising concerns about escalation at sea.

Offshore Oil Restart: VAALCO Energy has restarted production at the Baobab field on the CI-40 block offshore Côte d’Ivoire after a nine-month FPSO refurbishment in Dubai, with four wells already producing and three more expected to restart soon; the upgrade is meant to extend the FPSO’s life ahead of Baobab Phase 5 drilling in H2 2026. Trade Rules Capacity: With WCO support under the EU-WCO Rules of Origin Africa Programme, Customs officials from Nigeria, Comoros, Morocco, The Gambia and others have completed Training of Trainers workshops to strengthen origin determination for preferential trade deals. Gabon Oil Development Watch: Record Resources says technical work on its Loba discovery in Gabon supports a first production well forecast above 5,000 bpd, using modern completion approaches and drawing confidence from the nearby Barbier Southwest analogue field now in production. Health & Industry R&D: The DENSTAR consortium launched a €11m dengue vaccine initiative for sub-Saharan Africa, with KNUST in Ghana playing a key role in clinical implementation. Mining & Governance: A Central Africa workshop in Yaounde targets illicit financial flows, money laundering and terrorist financing, bringing together Gabon and regional partners to strengthen enforcement and civil society capacity.

Bioacoustics for Forest Integrity: A new Soundscape Baselines Project is building acoustic reference points for intact forests, including pilot sites in Gabon, to catch biodiversity loss that satellites and carbon accounting can miss—logged forests may look similar from above, but dawn and dusk “living rhythms” differ. Critical Minerals & Forest Costs: A G7 push to secure critical minerals from Africa is colliding with new research showing mining-related forest clearing across sub-Saharan Africa, raising pressure on how Gabon’s mineral supply chains are managed. DENSTAR Dengue Vaccine Drive: An €11.09m EU-backed consortium launched the four-year DENSTAR project (starting June 1, 2026) to generate evidence for a next-generation dengue vaccine in sub-Saharan Africa, with KNUST playing a key clinical role. Gabon Oil Development Update: Record Resources says technical work on its Loba discovery in Gabon supports initial production potential above 5,000 bpd, with the planned Loba Marine 2 well targeting the Batanga reservoir. Central Africa Illicit Finance Workshop: A four-day Yaounde workshop is bringing together Gabon and neighbors to strengthen anti–money laundering and anti–terror financing efforts, targeting the billions lost to financial crime.

Oil & Gas in Gabon: Record Resources says its Loba Marine 2 well could target the Batanga reservoir for initial output above 5,000 barrels per day, supported by results from the nearby Barbier Southwest field now producing from the same reservoir system. Critical Minerals & Forests: G7 leaders are set to push harder for critical minerals from Africa, even as new research warns mining is clearing large forest areas across sub-Saharan Africa. Mining Crackdown: Cameroon’s MINAT ordered a clearer picture of local mining practices in Bertoua, signaling tighter scrutiny of illegal mining and local political interference. Policy Pressure on Resources: A new look at Africa’s resources sector highlights how governments are modernising tax and customs rules—raising burdens, limiting incentives, and aligning with global standards—reshaping investment conditions. Macro Risk for Investors: An IMF report links military coups to major economic damage across Sub-Saharan Africa, including a sharp hit to investment growth and weaker GDP performance. Health & Supply Chains: Work is underway on a new dengue vaccine push in Africa, with KNUST joining a consortium aimed at licensure and evaluation.