SUEZ has entered into a five-year, €200 million contract with the Gabonese Energy and Water Company (SEEG) to enhance the production and distribution of drinking water in Libreville and other major cities across Gabon. Backed by the French government, this partnership aims to improve water service quality and restore SEEG’s financial stability, with financing support in the form of a competitively rated loan.
The agreement focuses on long-term improvements to Gabon's water infrastructure, including the transfer of technical expertise to SEEG teams and comprehensive support across all stages of water service delivery—from production and transport to distribution and customer management.
Pierre Pauliac, Group Deputy CEO & Chief Operating Officer Water at SUEZ, said: “Providing essential services to people is at the heart of SUEZ's mission as a major player in environmental services. This contract with SEEG, which will guarantee Gabonese people continuous access to high-quality drinking water, is fully in line with our mission. We are proud to support SEEG in this project, which will have a major impact on the Gabonese population, while helping to strengthen the skills of the teams and boost the local economy. We would like to warmly thank the Gabonese authorities for their trust.”
A strategic response to a national priority
Access to safe, reliable drinking water remains a top priority for the Gabonese government. Through this new collaboration, SUEZ will work alongside SEEG across all its business lines, including production, transport, distribution, and customer management.
Key initiatives under the contract include:
- Pipe condition analysis: Utilizing advanced SUEZ technologies to detect and repair leaks in the Greater Libreville water network, which covers Libreville, Ntoum, and Owendo.
- Equipment upgrades: Replacing and resizing critical infrastructure in inland cities such as Port-Gentil, Franceville, and Oyem, in collaboration with equipment supplier Saint Gobain PAM Canalisations.
- Regularization of unsafe overhead connections: Replacing unsafe overhead connections with compliant underground systems, and upgrading water meters to ensure accurate consumption tracking and billing. A fraud prevention system will also be implemented.
- Process modernization: Overhauling water management operations and modernizing billing systems to improve service efficiency.
Investing in skills and local economic development
The agreement also includes a structured know-how transfer program, using SUEZ’s proprietary WIKTI methodology. This approach assesses both individual and team capabilities across operational domains and delivers customized, scalable training plans. Performance metrics—such as reduced water loss, improved billing accuracy, and expanded service coverage—are embedded into the contract to ensure tangible results.
Training initiatives will be carried out through SEEG’s Profession Center (CDM), which will lead a wide-reaching skills development plan for local teams.
To further boost the local economy, the project will engage Gabonese SMEs for installation work, with an estimated budget of €60 million allocated to subcontracting. SUEZ will provide oversight and training to ensure all work meets the Group’s stringent health, safety, and quality standards.
