• Gabon will officially launch onboard Internet service on passenger trains on December 23.
• The project will rely on OneWeb low-Earth-orbit satellite Internet operated by Eutelsat.
• Authorities aim to raise annual passenger traffic on the Transgabonais line to 330,000 by 2027.

The Gabonese government announced that it will officially launch onboard Internet service on passenger trains on December 23. The launch event will include a presentation of the solution and a live connectivity test onboard a train. Authorities and project partners will attend the demonstration.

The government announced the project on Monday, December 15. The Ministry of the Digital Economy, Digitalization and Innovation leads the initiative alongside the Ministry of Transport, Merchant Marine and Logistics. The project also involves the Transgabonais Railway Operating Company (SETRAG) and a private telecommunications operator. The operator will deploy OneWeb low-Earth-orbit satellite Internet from France’s Eutelsat group.

“In a first phase, onboard Internet access will allow exclusively the use of the WhatsApp application. The next stages of the project will enable a gradual expansion of services, depending on technical performance and observed quality of service,” the Ministry of the Digital Economy, Digitalization and Innovation said.

According to the ministry, the project aims to improve passenger comfort and user experience through the gradual integration of digital services into rail transport. The initiative aligns with Gabon’s broader digital transformation ambitions. Libreville seeks to position digital technology as a central pillar of socioeconomic development and to reduce dependence on extractive resources. The government adopted a legal framework in September to regulate and accelerate the digital transformation of public administration.

This improvement in customer experience comes as Gabonese authorities seek to increase traffic on the Transgabonais railway. The government aims to raise annual passenger numbers to 330,000 by 2027, compared with 260,000 passengers in 2022, representing growth of more than 26.9%. The initiative ranks among the transition government’s priority actions for the 2024–2026 period.

This article was initially published in French by Isaac K. Kassouwi

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum