Gabon Signs 6 Million Forest Carbon Credit Deal with SEFE

Gabon has signed an agreement to sell about six million forest carbon credits to German state-owned energy company SEFE (Securing Energy for Europe), marking what the government calls Africa's first sale of sovereign forest carbon credits. Reported on 4 November 2026, the transaction covers credits certified under the ART-TREES standard and eligible for the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA). The first deliveries are expected no later than the first quarter of 2027, although financial terms have not been disclosed.

The Gabonese Agency for the Development of the Green Economy (AGADEV) signed the agreement on behalf of the government on 3 November. Unlike conventional project-based carbon credits, sovereign or jurisdictional credits are associated with emissions reductions or removals measured across a wider geographical area. Gabon's credits recognise the preservation of existing forests rather than new tree planting, reflecting its classification as a High Forest, Low Deforestation (HFLD) country.

 

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The transaction offers Gabon an opportunity to generate revenue from forest conservation while participating in international carbon markets. Under the ART-TREES framework, jurisdictional credits are subject to requirements covering emissions accounting, verification and environmental safeguards. Their eligibility under CORSIA also allows airlines to use qualifying credits to meet applicable international aviation emissions-offsetting obligations.

Gabon will hold revenue from the sale in a dedicated account until it introduces a national regulatory framework governing the distribution of proceeds. The proposed framework will include arrangements for sharing benefits with local communities, although the allocation mechanism has not yet been finalised. The government has also clarified that the transaction does not involve transferring ownership of forest land or resources.

The agreement could establish a financing pathway for forest-rich African countries seeking to generate economic value from conservation. However, the financial benefits for Gabon and its communities will depend on the undisclosed transaction value, delivery of the credits and implementation of the national revenue-sharing framework.