In keeping with its commitments, Société Autoroutière du Gabon (SAG) is opening a new two-lane road over 16 km between Nkok and Ntoum

Libreville (Gabon), 04 July 2024 – Société Autoroutière du Gabon (SAG) officially inaugurated a 16 km dual carriageway between Nkok and Ntoum. This is in line with the commitments made by Raymond Ndong Sima, Prime Minister of the Republic of Gabon, during his visit to the site on 8 March and by Thierry Déau, CEO of Meridiam, to the President of the Transition at the Gabon-France Forum on 31 May. Thanks to this new road opening, a total of 81 kilometres can now be travelled between PK 24 and PK 105 of the Route Nationale 1 (RN1) between Libreville and Franceville.

The opening of this new section marks a crucial stage in the development of the country’s road infrastructure. It will make a significant contribution to regional and national economic development and improve the mobility of people and goods, while ensuring that environmental issues are taken into account. With the inauguration of this new section of the RN1, thousands of daily users of this strategic road link for Gabon will benefit from fluid, safe and comfortable traffic throughout the year.

This section required extensive drainage works and the construction of various structures to prevent the risk of flooding during rainy periods and to ensure that the road is passable and safe all year round. These works will also significantly reduce the need for maintenance and resurfacing, in particular through the design of the pavement, which is more robust than the usual designs, ensuring a longer service life despite the heavy traffic.

The result of a public-private partnership (PPP) concluded in 2021 between the Gabonese government and Meridiam, for which Société Autoroutière du Gabon is the delegated contracting authority, the opening of this first section of the Route Nationale 1 (RN1) also underlines the success of this public-private partnership in serving the people of Gabon and improving their living conditions.

The entire first section of the RN1 (93 km in total) is expected to be completed by the end of 2024.

About SAG

SAG is the project company resulting from a public-private partnership signed between the Gabonese government and Meridiam, a company specialising in the design, financing and management of sustainable infrastructure. Under this agreement, SAG is responsible for the financing, construction, operation and maintenance of the first section of the National Road, between PK12 and 105, for a period of 30 years. SAG project is a joint venture employing more than 1,000 people, 80% of whom are Gabonese. SAG also stands out for its strong commitment to the environment, as the project meets the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set out by the UN in its 2030 Agenda: 7 (use of renewable energy), 9 (access to decent jobs), 11 (sustainable cities and communities) and 15 (protection of terrestrial fauna and flora). In addition, the completion of the first section should lead to a significant reduction in travel time for users (estimated at over 1 hour), thereby helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.