Oyem

Oyem is the principal city of northern Gabon and an administrative and service centre for Woleu-Ntem. Like many of the country’s secondary cities, it has expanded over a relatively large area with limited investment in connecting neighbourhood streets and resilient public infrastructure.

The Gabon Urban Development Project identifies Oyem for new climate-resilient roads, public facilities and green spaces, alongside measures to strengthen urban planning and municipal management. The African Development Bank has also included the city in transport-plan studies intended to guide future road and drainage works. These programmes shift the emphasis from isolated road construction toward a more coordinated urban network. For Oyem, that matters because improved local connections can strengthen its regional role while reducing the service gaps that accompany dispersed growth.