By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Brice Oligui Nguema, who ousted a civilian government in August 2023, has been sworn in as President of Gabon following his victory in last month’s election, in which he secured nearly 95 percent of the vote.
His inauguration on Saturday took place at a stadium north of the capital, Libreville, with about 20 African heads of state in attendance.
The 40,000-capacity venue also saw large crowds of Nguema’s supporters, many wearing branded T-shirts bearing the President’s image.
The military general, who ended the Bongo family’s 55-year dynastic rule, officially assumes office after leading a 19-month transitional government.
African leaders present included Gambia’s Adama Barrow, Senegal’s Bassirou Diomaye Faye, Djibouti’s Ismail Omar Guelleh, and Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea. The Democratic Republic of Congo’s President, Felix Tshisekedi, also arrived around midday.
Attendance at the inauguration, held at Angondjé Stadium, built to symbolise the friendship between Gabon and China, was free of charge.
It marked the first time a swearing-in ceremony in the country drew such a large public audience.
Nguema, 50, now faces serious challenges in leading the oil-rich country, which must overhaul critical infrastructure and diversify its economy while grappling with high debt.
Among the main concerns are an ageing electricity grid with frequent power outages, youth unemployment hovering around 40 percent, inadequate road networks, and ballooning public debt forecast to reach 80 percent of GDP this year.
During the transition, Nguema portrayed himself as a “builder”, launching numerous infrastructure projects and vowing to crack down on corruption to steer the country towards recovery.
