Banks in Gabon

The Bank of Central African States (BEAC) is the shared central bank for the six CEMAC countries, including Gabon. It manages monetary and foreign-exchange policy, cash circulation, regional payment systems and financial stability. The Central African Banking Commission (COBAC) supervises banks and microfinance institutions across the region, controls licensing and can impose sanctions. COSUMAF concerns capital markets rather than ordinary banking services. A bank operating in Gabon requires regional approval through COBAC and the competent national monetary authority. The CEMAC single-licence system for banks took effect on 1 January 2025, with a transitional period of 12 months and a primary branch-based model. Unlicensed banking activity is not a lawful substitute for an approved bank. The market is concentrated: Gabon had eight active banks at the end of 2024, compared with 56 across CEMAC, and two active financial institutions in addition to 18 licensed microfinance institutions in Gabon. Individuals commonly use a compte courant for regular income and payments and a compte épargne for saving. Banks also serve employees, self-employed workers, artisans, students, companies and members of the diaspora. Access may include branches, automated teller machines (GAB), payment cards, internet banking and mobile banking. Account opening generally requires a valid identity document and proof of address or residence, with additional information depending on the institution and whether the customer is resident or non-resident. Gabon has no single legally established account-opening service deadline or uniform nationwide minimum deposit documented for all banks, so the bank's tariff and product conditions need to be checked. Banks accept sight deposits, savings deposits and term deposits. Some products use the terms compte à terme or bons de caisse. The CEMAC deposit-guarantee scheme, FOGADAC, publishes a compensation limit of FCFA 5,000,000 per eligible claimant and credit institution. This limit does not make balances above it fully guaranteed. Payments use regional infrastructures. SYGMA is the real-time gross settlement system for large-value payments. SYSTAC processes automated retail payments, including transfers, direct debits, cheques, bills of exchange and some card transactions; its individual payment threshold is below FCFA 100,000,000. Indicative processing times are 24 hours for a transfer or direct debit and 48 hours for a cheque, although the bank's own conditions and operational checks can affect the actual timing. GIMACPAY provides a regionally interoperable environment for cards, mobile payments and transfers. Banks may issue Visa, Mastercard or UPI cards and provide GAB and point-of-sale terminal access, but availability differs by institution. Mobile money is a payment-account service rather than a bank deposit. In Gabon, Airtel Money Gabon and Clickpay Gabon operate as licensed payment providers, alongside bank and telecommunications partnerships. Customers commonly use USSD, with NFC and QR options also available, for person-to-person transfers, merchant payments, cash withdrawal through GAB, bank-to-mobile transfers and international transfers. GIMAC interoperability has operated since 2020, and the Cameroon-Gabon corridor is a frequently used cross-border channel. Customer funds held by payment providers are kept with credit institutions under safeguarding arrangements, but the service remains legally distinct from a bank account. CEMAC consumer-protection rules include a guaranteed minimum banking service with 22 basic products and services provided without fees within the applicable limits. Other bank and payment-provider fees depend on the institution and must be checked in the published tariff and banking conditions. A payment provider must notify BEAC of tariff changes at least 45 days before they take effect. Complaints can first be submitted to the bank or payment provider, followed by the competent supervisory or mediation mechanism when the response is unsatisfactory. Customer identification and measures against money laundering and terrorist financing apply to banking and payment services. Keep the PIN, one-time password and password secret, use official channels and report a suspicious transaction to the bank or payment provider without delay. COBAC Regulation R-2024/01 sets information-technology risk requirements covering governance, access controls, password and data controls, penetration testing, incident reporting and service recovery. For credit and payment institutions it applies from 1 January 2026; for microfinance institutions it applies from 1 July 2026. Foreign-currency accounts, international transfers and import or export payments follow the CEMAC foreign-exchange rules. Resident and non-resident customers can use foreign-currency accounts only within the conditions set by BEAC, and fees and supporting documents depend on the transaction. Branch locations, opening hours, current prices, limits, required documents and acceptance policies remain institution-specific because no province- or city-specific banking rule is established for this scope.