Gabon's Council of Ministers confirmed on 18 September 2026 that the restriction will go ahead, saying the government would rely on exceptions available under WTO agreements and on diplomatic negotiations to protect its economic interests without triggering a formal trade dispute. The measure was first announced in May 2025 as part of a drive to rebuild domestic poultry production and cut dependence on imported food; the United States, which supplies part of the market, has challenged it at the WTO.
In its circular of 9 October 2026, USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service stated that Gabon's chicken meat imports are forecast at zero in 2027 because the Council of Ministers decided imports from all partners will be fully restricted from 1 January 2027, despite objections from trading partners. The gap that local producers must fill is substantial: Gabon imports roughly 55,000 tonnes of broiler chicken a year, while domestic production has been estimated at only about 4,000 tonnes.
The practical lesson for suppliers is that import-dependent African markets can close quickly and with little notice, which makes diversification across the Gulf, North Africa and West Africa more valuable than any single destination. Gabon's own transition also shows how much of the volume has to be replaced locally before a ban of this kind can hold.
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Sources: USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, Livestock and Poultry: World Markets and Trade, 9 October 2026; Poultry News Africa, 21 September 2026.
