Gunvor Scandal Reveals Gabon's Oil Corruption Persists

The Gunvor affair continues to cast a long shadow over Gabon's institutions, exposing a painful truth: the rot in the nation's petroleum sector runs far deeper than one family or one political era. For those who believed a change in leadership would deliver a change in governance, the Swiss investigation into the commodity trading giant delivers a sobering reckoning.

Several weeks into the affair, the spotlight remains fixed on the management of Gabon's oil sector. Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema appears determined to maintain his grip and shield himself from the full force of the storm. Yet the question persists: can a system built on patronage and opacity truly reform itself from within?

Observers believe the regime will deploy multiple levers to absorb the political shock should the investigation yield further revelations. But the Gabonese people have heard such promises before.

What Is Gunvor Accused Of?

The affair originates from a