Gabon is a Central African nation on the west coast. Gabon is located on the equator and is bounded to the northwest by Equatorial Guinea, to the north by Cameroon, to the east and south by the Republic of the Congo, and to the west by the Gulf of Guinea. It covers roughly 270,000 square kilometers (100,000 square miles) and has a population of 2.1 million people. The coastal plains, the highlands (the Cristal Mountains and the Chaillu Massif in the center), and the savanna in the east are different zones. Libreville is Gabon's capital and biggest city. French is the official language.
Originally populated by Pygmy peoples, they were mostly supplanted and assimilated as they traveled by Bantu tribes. By the 18th century, Gabon had created a Myeni-speaking state known as the Kingdom of Orungu. Its capacity to buy and sell slaves enabled it to become a prominent commerce hub. With the abolition of the slave trade in the 1870s, the kingdom crumbled. Gabon has had three presidents since it gained independence from France in 1960. Gabon implemented a multi-party system and a new democratic constitution in the early 1990s, allowing for a more transparent election process and reforming numerous administrative institutions.
Gabon is one of the richest nations in Sub-Saharan Africa, having the fifth highest HDI in the area (after Mauritius, Seychelles, Botswana, and South Africa) and the fifth highest GDP per capita (PPP) in the whole continent (after Seychelles, Mauritius, Equatorial Guinea and Botswana). From 2010 to 2012, its GDP increased by more than 6% every year. However, due to economic disparity, a sizable section of the population remains impoverished.
Gabon is rich in mythology and folklore. Traditions such as the mvett among the Fangs and the ingwala among the Nzebis are preserved by "raconteurs." Gabon is also famous for its masks, such as the n'goltang (Fang) and the Kota reliquary figures.
After a year of service, employees are entitled to two days of paid annual leave per month. Those under the age of 18 are given two and a half days off per month.
New Year
Easter
Easter Monday
End of Ramadan
Pentecost
Monday of Pentecost
Eid-al-Kebir
Assumption Day
National Holiday
Toussaint
Christmas
Employees are entitled to up to six months of paid sick leave, which the employer pays for. The sick leave pay is covered by social security after six months of illness.
Female employees are entitled to 14 weeks of paid maternity leave, six weeks of which must be taken prior to the birth. In the event of a pregnancy-related illness, this can be extended by three weeks, and in the case of multiple births, it can be extended by two weeks. Contracts of employees on maternity leave are protected.
Paternity leave is not a statutory benefit for male employees, but emergency family leave can be used in its place.
Other than the already mentioned terms regarding maternity and paternity leaves, there are no other provisions in the law in Gabon regarding parental leave.
A contract of employment may be terminated due to poor performance or misconduct. Employers must write to terminated employees requesting an interview to explain the grounds for termination. If the employer wishes to end the contract, they must produce a letter explaining why.
The notice period begins at fifteen days and escalates based on the number of years the person has worked for the company.
The probation period is capped at six months while fixed-term contracts can be of up to 24 months and renewed once.
Severance pay ranges from 12 to 4 months' earnings per year of service.
The legal working week is 40 hours. The week shall be divided into five days, Monday through Friday, in the public and private sectors throughout the country.
Maximum of 20 hours of overtime per week in exceptional, urgent, or seasonal work due to unusual workload, the necessity of maintaining/increasing production levels, or a staffing shortage.
The rate of overtime pay is set by collective bargaining agreements or government regulations.
The minimum wage is one of Gabon's most important compensation laws. Gabonese employees must earn at least 150,000 CFA francs per month. Furthermore, government employees should be paid a monthly allowance of 20,000 CFA francs per child, as well as transportation, housing, and family benefits. These benefits are not available to private-sector employees.
Gabon has a national fee for service health care system in place. While maternity care and medicine are provided free of charge, employees are required to pay a portion of the cost of other medical services according to a schedule outlined in the employment law.
Companies in Gabon are subject to a corporate tax rate of 35 percent.
Individuals in Gabon are imposed an income tax rate between 5 percent and 35 percent. The actual percentage depends on the income bracket the individual belongs to.
The value-added tax (VAT) or goods and sales tax (GST) in Gabon is currently set at 18 percent.
The Gabon Visa Policy is a collection of regulations and limits that determines whether foreign citizens are eligible to apply for a travel permission or a visa to enter Gabon.
According to the Gabon Visa Policy, passport holders from roughly five countries are permitted to enter Gabon for brief periods of time without requiring a travel authorisation or visa. The length of their stay is determined by their citizenship.
According to the Gabon Visa Policy, nationals of over 150 countries are eligible for an electronic visa and may apply for one online using a simple application form.
The authorized e-visa may be used for tourist, transportation, or business. This e-visa may be sent to the passenger, which improves the whole travel experience. The length and validity of the e-visa may be determined based on the needs of the tourist.
Foreign citizens from over forty-five countries must apply for an Embassy Visa to visit Gabon, regardless of the purpose of the travel or the planned length of the stay, according to the Gabon Visa Policy.
According to the Gabon Visa Policy, people of around 235 countries and territories are permitted to enter Gabon with an issued visa. The visa might be an e-visa, a visa on arrival, or a visa from an embassy.
Passport holders from about 150 countries may apply for and acquire an electronic visa. Travelers who use a tourist e-visa may remain in the nation for a short period of time ranging from one to six months, depending on their needs. This visa may be acquired by email by completing an online application form.
This is a straightforward technique that eliminates the need to wait in large lines at border checkpoints for a visa on arrival. To enter Gabon, tourists just only submit the permission letter and pay the visa charge.
Only nationals of 45 countries are ineligible for an e-visa. As a result, they must apply for an Embassy Visa in order to enter the nation. This visa may be acquired by contacting the Gabon Embassy closest you. This visa permits visitors to stay in the nation for an extended amount of time, regardless of their trip reason.
The employment contract should be in writing and include the names and contact information for both parties, as well as the wage, conditions of employment, job description, yearly leave, additional leave, start and finish dates, if applicable.
Employers may utilize indefinite contracts for long-term employment or a fixed-term contract for a specified assignment lasting no more than 24 months. A fixed-term contract is only renewable once.
Central African CFA franc (FCFA)
Before establishing a Gabon subsidiary, you must consider a variety of issues. For example, different towns or areas may have varied Gabon subsidiary laws that affect prices, availability, convenience of doing business, and other factors. You should look into a few different locations to discover the one with the best legislation. If you are unfamiliar with the many places of Gabon, we recommend working with an expert who can propose the best sites.
Following that, you must decide what sort of subsidiary is most suited to your company's objectives. Every entity has its own Gabon subsidiary laws, which might allow you more or less flexibility to operate in Gabon. You have the choice of forming a limited liability company (LLC), a public limited business, or a branch office. Typically, businesses opt to form an LLC because it gives them the greatest flexibility to operate in the nation.
The following processes are involved in establishing your Gabon subsidiary as an LLC:
1. Providing a unified form for formalizing your business
2. Making six copies of each company officer's identity
3. Providing all corporate officials' criminal records
4. Making three duplicates of the authorisation or technical approval of the company's actions
5. Obtaining four location maps of the company's headquarters
6. Signing the SEEG subscription agreement
7. Notarizing the parent company's articles of incorporation and translating them into French
8. Creating a record of the Board of Directors' decision to create a branch in Gabon.
Even though LLCs are the favored kind of subsidiary, you must still comply with all of Gabon's subsidiary rules pertaining to LLCs. This company needs one director and one shareholder who may be of any country and do not have to reside in Gabon. In addition, $1,700 in minimum paid-up share capital is required to finalize your company's registration with the local Companies Registrar.
LLCs enable firms to function similarly to resident companies, which means they will be subject to some of the same rules. If you have more than $17,000 in paid-up capital, an annual turnover of more than $420,000, or more than 50 employees, you must hire an auditor to help you stay compliant.
