Gabon is advancing its digital transformation agenda with a focus on public administration. Building on the legal framework adopted in September 2025 for digitalizing public services, the government is now developing a regulatory framework for digital archiving. A draft ordinance approved on January 29, 2026, sets out the rules for creating, preserving, managing, and enhancing electronic documents while overseeing service providers involved in digitization and digital record maintenance.
The initiative aims to improve the organization, security, and accessibility of administrative records. By regulating service providers and safeguarding state archives, the measure seeks to reduce data loss, increase efficiency, and promote transparency, particularly in public institutions. Since mid-2025, the government has engaged local companies and organized stakeholder workshops to establish a secure, integrated system for managing judicial and administrative documents.
Despite these efforts, cybersecurity remains a critical challenge. While Gabon has a strong legal framework, it faces gaps in technical measures, capacity development, and coordination, placing it among Africa's least developed countries in cyber readiness according to the ITU Global Security Index 2024. The new digital archiving framework will need to balance efficiency and accessibility with robust security measures to protect sensitive data.
