Gabon’s new tax chief outlines bold digital reform plan

The newly appointed Director-General of Taxes, Edith Laure Mbiguidi Oyaya, received a formal audience with President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema this Wednesday, June 3, 2026. The meeting marked the first official engagement between the Head of State and the fresh leadership team of Gabon’s tax administration, including Thierry Minko, Minister of Economy, Finance, Debt Management and State Participations, who oversees efforts to combat rising living costs.

During the meeting, Edith Laure Mbiguidi Oyaya expressed her profound appreciation for the presidential appointment and outlined the strategic pillars that will guide her tenure. Her vision centers on three core objectives: modernizing institutional frameworks, broadening the tax base, and enhancing revenue collection efficiency. The Gabonese tax authority also aims to strengthen monitoring systems and taxpayer oversight, anchored in principles of discipline, integrity, and professionalism.

Digital transformation takes center stage in tax modernization

President Oligui Nguema underscored the pivotal role of the Direction Générale des Impôts (DGI) in driving Gabon’s economic transformation. In his view, domestic revenue mobilization is the lifeblood of sustainable infrastructure development and the enhancement of public services.

The President emphasized the immediate need for a fully integrated digital system to achieve these goals. This technological leap is expected to streamline taxpayer interactions, bolster financial transparency, and decisively curb tax evasion and fraud across the country.

A call for accountability and measurable progress

In closing, the Gabonese leader called on the new tax leadership to discard outdated practices and embrace a culture of collective responsibility, operational discipline, and uncompromising transparency. By placing performance at the heart of its mission, the DGI is now expected to serve as the engine of public finance recovery in Gabon.