Gabon: the state suspends tax and customs exemptions granted by decision
On 8 September 2026, the Gabonese Ministry of Economy, Finance, Debt and Holdings announced the suspension of all tax and customs benefits granted by agreement or administrative decision, after a cumulative shortfall of more than 283 billion CFA francs for the state.
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According to the Ministry of Economy, Finance, Debt and Holdings, tax and customs exemptions granted by agreement or administrative decision represented, as of the end of July 2026, a loss of 209.239 billion CFA francs for customs and 74.038 billion CFA francs for the tax services, that is more than 283 billion CFA francs in total.
The measure announced on 8 September 2026 has two parts: no new tax or customs exemption may be granted, in any form, from the date the announcement is published, and benefits already granted by administrative decision are suspended until further notice. Exemptions provided for directly by law remain applicable, but will be reviewed in the next finance law.
The government announced the launch of an audit covering the period from 2023 to 2026, intended to measure the benefits actually obtained by the state in exchange for these advantages and to assess their budgetary impact before any decision to renew them.
This affects companies that benefited from an exemption scheme under a specific agreement, notably in certain special economic zones, which must now pay customs duties and taxes as normal on their import operations, while the audit determines the fate of each agreement.
What it changes for an importer
For a Gabonese importer who benefited from an exemption agreement, the landed cost of their Chinese goods changes for as long as this agreement remains suspended, which may call into question prices already quoted to their customers. Sorva can help its clients redo the landed cost calculation to include the duties and taxes now due, but does not replace Gabonese tax advice in determining whether a specific agreement remains covered by law or falls under the administrative suspension.
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