On May 5, 2025, Henri-Claude Oyima, a leading figure in Central African finance and Chairman of the Board of Directors of BGFIBank Cameroon, was appointed Minister of State for the Economy, Finance, Debt, Equity Investments, and the Fight Against the High Cost of Living in Gabon. This strategic appointment illustrates the new regime’s commitment to harnessing expertise to drive economic transformation.
The appointment of Henri-Claude Oyima marks a change of direction for Gabon. Known for his exceptional track record in the African banking sector, the 68-year-old inherits a strategic government portfolio in a context of political transition marked by the rise to power of President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema. His appointment reflects a clear desire to break with traditional political practices and refocus government action on rigor, performance, and results.
Born in Franceville in 1956, Henri-Claude Oyima has built an impressive international career. A graduate of the American University in Washington, DC, he started at Citibank before returning to Gabon to lead Paribas Gabon, which he transformed in 1996 into BGFIBank, now present in 11 countries. As the group’s founder and leader, he is recognized as one of the architects of the regional banking sector. In 2024, he became Chairman of the Board of Directors of BGFIBank Cameroon, consolidating the group’s influence in the CEMAC region.
The portfolio entrusted to Oyima is broad: Economy, Finance, Debt, Equity Investments, and the fight against the high cost of living. A challenge worthy of his experience. Gabon, still overly dependent on oil, has a public debt exceeding 70% of its GDP and an economy seeking diversification. With a keen understanding of the workings of the private sector and a results-oriented culture, Oyima seems best placed to initiate a rigorous fiscal policy, mobilize domestic resources, and encourage investment in the mining, agricultural, and financial sectors.
Henri-Claude Oyima makes no secret of his pan-African ambitions. As President of the Central African Stock Exchange (BVMAC) and the Gabonese Business Federation, he advocates for greater regional economic integration. In particular, he hopes to list BGFI Holding on the stock market in 2025, a project postponed since the pandemic. Recently honored in Cameroon by President Paul Biya for his work promoting regional development, Oyima embodies a transnational vision of development.
Henri-Claude Oyima’s entry into government raises high hopes. A man of rigor, networking, and strategy, he will have to reconcile economic performance and social justice. The mission is daunting: restore confidence, accelerate economic recovery, and control inflation. But with his builder’s profile and his in-depth understanding of economic realities, he could well embody the renewal of public governance in Gabon.
