By: Nana Appiah Acquaye
The
Government of the Republic of Gabon has signed a Memorandum of Understanding
with Huawei Technologies (Gabon) to strengthen collaboration on key digital
transformation initiatives aimed at supporting the country’s long-term
development objectives.
The
agreement was signed, under the supervision of the Minister of Digital Economy,
Digitalization and Innovation, Mark-Alexandre Doumba, and witnessed by Wang
Lei, Chief Executive Officer for the Central African Economic and Monetary
Community region at Huawei. The signing followed high-level discussions with
President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, underscoring the government’s
commitment to leveraging technology as a driver of national growth.
Under
the terms of the MoU, both parties will establish a joint project committee
tasked with identifying, planning and prioritising digital projects that align
with Gabon’s development priorities. The partnership also places emphasis on
integrating Gabonese startups and local enterprises into national digital
initiatives, with the aim of ensuring that domestic innovators play an active
role in the country’s digital transformation.
Skills
development and capacity building form another core pillar of the agreement.
The collaboration seeks to facilitate knowledge transfer and develop national
expertise in digital technologies, contributing to the strengthening of Gabon’s
digital sovereignty and reducing long-term reliance on external capabilities.
The
MoU also provides for the expansion of existing initiatives, including the
Connected Schools Programme, while paving the way for the launch of new
high-technology projects requiring advanced technical skills. From 2026, these
initiatives are expected to create new opportunities for startups, support
innovation, and contribute to the development of a modern and digitally
empowered economy.
The
partnership reflects Gabon’s broader strategy to pursue digital transformation
through coordinated planning, strategic partnerships and investment in human
capital, alongside the deployment of digital infrastructure.
