Gabon is the world's second-largest manganese producer (COMILOG/Eramet) and a significant crude oil exporter. But settlement routes through BEAC's CFA operations account and French correspondent banks, creating 20-30 day payment cycles. LCORE's gold DVP: Chinese buyer deposits gold in Abu Dhabi escrow, manganese ships from Owendo port or crude from Cap Lopez terminal, BL confirms, gold releases in 2-3 days. No BEAC reserve deposit, no French bank intermediary fees.
Request ConsultationWhen XAF payments are blocked by correspondent banking compliance, LCORE's gold DVP provides a neutral Abu Dhabi alternative. Gabonese oil exporters can deposit physical gold into DVP escrow -- commodity delivers -- payment in XAF confirms -- gold releases. 2-3 working days.
ADGM English Law governs. Lloyd's $200M insurance throughout. UAE geopolitically neutral -- not subject to US, EU, or UK sanctions regime.
Confidential. Min $5M. ADGM 28158.
Gabon is one of Central Africa's most prosperous commodity exporters per capita, with crude oil, manganese, and timber as the three pillars of its export base. Crude oil from the Rabi-Kounga and offshore Ebouri fields — operated by TotalEnergies and Perenco — produces approximately 200,000 barrels per day. Manganese from the Franceville/Moanda deposit is critical: Gabon accounts for approximately 10-15% of global manganese ore production, with Chinese and European steel mills as buyers. COMILOG (Compagnie Minière de l'Ogooué, Eramet subsidiary) ships via the Trans-Gabonais railway to Owendo port near Libreville. Timber from the Congo Basin rainforest — Gabon has imposed a raw log export ban since 2010 to promote domestic processing — exports veneer, sawn timber, and plywood. Palm oil and rubber from agro-industrial plantations supply regional markets. Gabon's commodity concentration in oil and manganese creates significant FX dependency on Brent and Chinese steel cycle volatility.
Gabon uses the Central African CFA franc (XAF), providing nominal EUR convertibility. Despite Gabon's oil wealth, its banking sector is relatively thin and internationally under-connected. Major international banks — historically French institutions like BNP Paribas and Société Générale — are reducing African exposure. Gabon's post-2023 military coup (Transition Committee government) has increased political risk assessments by international correspondent banks, with some European banks applying enhanced due diligence to Gabonese-origin transactions. CEMAC capital flow restrictions require BEAC authorisation for large outward FX transfers. The 2023 political transition created temporary SWIFT disruption for some Gabonese bank accounts. LCORE's gold DVP enables Gabonese commodity exporters to receive payment confirmation from Chinese or European buyers in Abu Dhabi before or upon BL issuance, insulating transactions from both BEAC capital controls and political transition impacts on correspondent banking.