Gabon Minister Says 73 Mining Permits Were Revoked, Offers Appeals

Gabon’s mines minister has put the number of gold-mining permits withdrawn after a government audit at 73, a higher figure than the 52 in his ministry’s October 19 public notice. The discrepancy remains unexplained in the public records examined by TFNOS, and affected operators have been offered a process to challenge their removals.

In an interview published by Gabonese newspaper L’Union on November 3, Mines Minister Sosthène Nguema Nguema said 73 permits had been withdrawn after an audit conducted from June 29 to October 16. He said operators who believe they were wrongly sanctioned can present evidence of compliance with mining, environmental and tax requirements and potentially recover their permits. His statement is an account of the government’s enforcement position, not a court finding against any individual operator.

The ministry’s October 19 statement had announced **52 withdrawn titles**, comprising 41 exploration permits and 11 exploitation permits, under communiqué 000002/MMRG/CAB-M. A separate Gabonese publication counted 71 titles in the accompanying tables. TFNOS previously reported the unresolved 52-versus-71 discrepancy.

**What this follow-up adds is the minister’s explicit confirmation of a 73-permit total and his description of an appeal process.** The higher number was also reported after his October 28 television appearance: regional outlet EcoMatin reported on October 29 that he had referred to 73 permits and said operators could submit challenges until November 15. That earlier television account means the 73 figure should not be presented as a newly announced revocation on November 3.

In the L’Union interview, the minister alleged that more than 70% of exploration permits had been used for extraction rather than prospecting without the ministry’s knowledge. TFNOS has not obtained the signed audit findings, company-by-company inspection records or decisions establishing that proportion independently. The minister also said companies could dispute the decisions and that permits would be restored where compliance was demonstrated. Those statements should not be treated as proof that every affected company committed a crime.

There is still no public reconciliation of the ministry’s initial 52, the separately reported annex count of 71, and the minister’s 73. The figures might reflect differing scopes, revised decisions or counting methods, but none of those explanations has been established. The number of licences also must not be confused with the number of companies holding them.

The immediate accountability test is whether the government publishes an authoritative, dated list of unique permit identifiers, the basis for each withdrawal, any corrected notices and decisions on operators’ appeals. TFNOS will check the appeal deadline and subsequent outcomes before reporting a final tally.