African Kingdoms

Modern Gabon
AD 1958 - Present Day
Incorporating Heads of State (1958-2025), French Autonomous Republic (1958-1960), & Gabonese Republic (1960-On)

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The modern African republic of Gabon, also referred to as Gabun in the nineteenth century, is located on the western coast of Central Africa. This equatorial state is bounded to the north-west by Río Muni (the continental portion of Equatorial Guinea), to the north by Cameroon, to the east by Congo, and to the west by the Gulf of Guinea.

The name 'Gabon' comes from the Portuguese 'gabão', which means 'cloak', describing the shape of the estuary which is formed by the River Gabon. The oldest prehistoric artefacts to be discovered in modern Gabon date to 7000 BC, although little is known about these inhabitants. Pygmy peoples inhabited what is now Gabon by the first millennium AD, but in the thirteenth century Myèné-speaking Western Bantu arrived and largely replaced or absorbed the Pygmy.

The Western Bantu originally formed a large number of very minor tribes and states with very fragmentary records. The only major kingdom was Orungu. At the time the first Portuguese explorers arrived in the area in 1472, parts of what is now southern Gabon were loosely connected to the state of Loango, a province of the kingdom of Kongo. Portuguese traders from the sugar plantations of São Tomé and Príncipe were active on the nearby mainland.

In the late 1500s other Europeans began to intrude into Portuguese trade just as the slave trade was really getting started. Interior peoples sent undesirable members or captives into slavery. The Orungu clans, the Mpongwe clans, and the Vili of Loango all jumped in with their own participation. Only the Fang, who were moving southwards from modern Cameroon to enter the forests to the north of the River Ogooué, refused to participate in the slave trade.

The French colony of French Congo was founded in 1882, having first been formed in 1880 to include the Bateke people of the River Congo's northern shore. Also known as 'Gabon-Congo', it should not be confused with Belgian Congo or Portuguese Congo. It became Middle Congo (or Moyen-Congo in French) in 1903.

Please note that the History Files does not regularly monitor changes in modern heads of state or their representatives. Get in touch here if this section requires updating.

(Information by John De Cleene and the John De Cleene Archive, with additional information by Peter Kessler, Richard A Bradshaw, & Juan Fandos-Rius, from Encyclopaedia Britannica (Eleventh Edition, Cambridge (England), 1910), from Washington Post (Protests grow in Central African Republic, 27 December 2012, and Rebels move closer to Bangui, 24 March 2013, and Rebels patrol capital of Central African Republic, 27 March 2013), and from US National Public Radio news broadcasts (15 September 2023), and from External Links: Gabon (Rulers.org), and Gabon (Zárate's Political Collections (ZPC)), and History of Gabon (Encyclopaedia Britannica), and Gabon History & Culture (iExplore.com), and Gabonese military seizes power (Reuters), and Coup leader favourite in presidential race (The Guardian).)

1958 - 1967

Gabon head of state, then first president (1960). Died.

1958

Part of 'French Equatorial Africa', Gabon now becomes an autonomous republic as an interim step towards independence. Léon M'Bá of the 'Gabonese Democratic Bloc' (BDG) becomes the country's indigenous head of state along with a French high commissioner, but it is M'Bá who will guide the country until his death in 1967.

1958 - 1959

French high commissioner.

1959 - 1960

French high commissioner.

1960

Gabon becomes fully independent of France. The governing head of state, M'Bá, becomes the first president until his death in 1967. He immediately controls the press, bans demonstrations, and limits free political expression.

Bantu speakers entered southern Uganda probably by the end of the first millennium AD where they developed centralised kingdoms by the fifteenth or sixteenth century

1964

M'Bá's term of office is interrupted for two days when he is overthrown by the military as a sign of things to come in this and many other nearby newly-independent countries. He resists, and France intervenes to restore him to his position.

1967

Léon M'Bá dies, to be succeeded as president by his vice president, Albert Bernard Bongo, who in 1973 changes his name to Omar Bongo and then again to Omar Bongo Ondimba in 2003. He rules until his death in 2009.

1967 - 2009

President. Died in office.

1968

Omar Bongo Ondimba changes the name of his ruling political party from the 'Gabonese Democratic Bloc' to the 'Gabonese Democratic Party'.

A forest village in Gabon in the nineteenth century, drawing of Thérond from a photograph taken by Houzé de l'Aulnoit, with the engraving being published in Le Tour du Monde, 1865

1979

French military intervention following a request by David Dacko causes the 'Empire of Central Africa' to fall. About nine hundred French troops are flown in overnight from military bases in neighbouring Chad and Gabon.

Emperor Bokassa is ousted and flees to Ivory Coast where he remains for four years before being granted asylum by France due to his previous service in the French armed forces. Central African Republic is restored on 20 September 1979.

1980s

Plunging oil prices lead to economic decline and the imposition of austerity measures in Gabon. Pressure builds for liberalising the political system, something which will come to a head in 1990.

1990 - 1991

The growing economic decline leads Omar Bongo to amend the country's constitution in order to establish a multiparty democracy. The country in 1991 promulgates an entirely new constitution. Nevertheless, Bongo continues to be re-elected, although the elections are suspect.

Air Centrafrique (from mid-1971) was the airline of Central African Republic between 1966 and the late 1970s, serving domestic routes from Bangui, and owning two entire aircraft in March 1970 until the fleet was expanded to three planes in 1977 before being closed down between 1978 and 1979 by the president due a dispute with French flight crew

1991 - 2004

Massive official corruption drains the country's treasury, and the government offsets the losses through major borrowing. The International Monetary Fund exerts great pressure for the initiation of financial reform. With help from France some improvement is seen and, by 2004, Gabon has significantly restructured its debt.

2009

President Bongo dies, to be succeeded by his adopted son, Ali Bongo Ondimba. Demonstrations against the suspicious results of his election prompt a recount, whereupon the government confirms Bongo's victory.

2009 - 2023

Adopted son. President. Deposed and arrested.

2012 - 2013

A new Seleka rebel coalition rapidly overruns the north and centre of Central African Republic by November 2012, sparking a fresh round of civil war. Democratic Republic of Congo, Cameroon, and Gabon send forces into the country to help the government halt a drive by the rebel 'Union for the Democratic Forces for Unity' (UFDR) to capture the capital of Bangui.

Warfare in Central African Republic has become endemic, with millions fleeing the violence and UN troops seemingly a permanent fixture as they attempt to keep apart the various factions

The intervention fails. In March 2013 the rebels overrun the capital and seize power. President Bozize flees while rebel leader Michel Djotodia suspends the constitution and dissolves parliament in a coup which is internationally condemned.

2016

2022

Gabon is formally admitted into the Commonwealth of Nations, one of a number of members which were never originally part of the British empire but who do want to participate in the commonwealth's sense of unity and its trading links.

Modern Gabon is highly male-dominated and somewhat old-fashioned (or 'traditional' in the tone of the world's current crop of conservative elements), with women largely expected to bear children and look after the home

2023

Minutes after it is announced that President Bongo has won re-election on 30 August 2023, the military stages a coup, repudiates the results of the election, dissolves state institutions, and installs General Brice Oligui Nguema as leader of a 'Committee of Transition and Restoration of Institutions', in effect a junta.

The military places Bongo under house arrest and also arrests his son, Noureddin Bongo Valentin. Nguema becomes transitional president in September. Ironically, he is related to the Bongo family. As part of this privileged group in Gabon, he has previously purchased property worth over one million US dollars, paid for in cash.

2023 - 2025

Junta leader and transitional president.

2023

While demonstrators fill the streets and the coup's lack of popularity becomes evident, Bongo appeals for help. The United Nations, the African Union, and France (which has troops stationed in Gabon), all condemn the coup.

The Gabon presidential candidate, Brice Nguema, centre, arrived for his final electoral campaign rally in Libreville prior to elections on Saturday 12 April 2025

Furthermore, they decry a recent anti-democratic trend amongst African countries, where eight coups have occurred since 2020. Concerns have been raised about the future of manganese and oil production, and also the presence of some three hundred and fifty French soldiers in Gabon.

2025 - On

Former general. President, but through irregular voting.

2025

Elections on Saturday 12 April 2025 see Gabon's self-proclaimed anti-corruption leader of the transitional council standing against four independents. Brice Nguema wins the vote with an astonishingly unrealistic ninety percent or more of the vote. The country already has in place his 2023 constitution which permits two consecutive presidential terms of office.