President Mahama in Libreville for inauguration of new Gabon president
President John Dramani Mahama is in the Gabonese capital, Libreville, to participate in the swearing-in ceremony of Gabon’s President-elect, General Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema on Saturday, May 3, 2025.
President Mahama is leading a Ghanaian delegation including National Security Advisor Prosper Douglas Bani, Secretary to the President Dr. Callistus Mahama, Minister of Foreign Affairs Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, and Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations Stan Xoese Dogbe.
His attendance underscores Ghana’s longstanding diplomatic ties with Gabon and its ongoing commitment to promoting peace, democratic governance, and regional integration across Africa.
General Oligui Nguema won Gabon’s presidential election.
Profile: General Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema – President-Elect of Gabon
Born on March 3, 1975, General Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema is a career military officer and prominent political figure who emerged as the leader of Gabon’s post-coup transition. A member of the influential Bongo family, he previously served as aide-de-camp to the late President Omar Bongo and later commanded the Republican Guard from 2020—a position that placed him at the heart of Gabon’s power structure.
Nguema gained prominence in August 2023 after leading the coup that removed President Ali Bongo Ondimba, citing institutional dysfunction and electoral irregularities. Following the coup, he was appointed transitional president and head of the CTRI, overseeing key anti-corruption efforts and administrative reforms.
Despite his military roots, General Nguema has projected an image of civilian-minded leadership, emphasizing institutional rebuilding and electoral transparency. Under his stewardship, Gabon conducted its most competitive and widely observed elections in decades.
With his presidency now entering a new democratic phase, General Nguema faces the challenge of fulfilling promises of governance reform, economic diversification—particularly in agriculture, tourism, and industry—and the drafting of a new constitution aimed at reinforcing checks and balances.
