The Agence Gabonaise de Presse (AGP) is Gabon’s national news agency, responsible for disseminating official information and producing the government-affiliated daily Gabon Matin. As a state-run wire service, AGP plays a central role in shaping the national media narrative, with its content routinely republished by other media outlets in the country.
Media assets
News agency: Agence Gabonaise de Presse
Print: Gabon Matin
State Media Matrix Typology
Ownership and governance
AGP operates under the direct supervision of the Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy, which holds full authority over staff appointments and administrative oversight. The agency’s leadership appointments have historically followed a revolving door pattern involving individuals from within the state apparatus.
In 2019, Jean Robert Elmut Moutsinga Boulingui—a former head of Radio Gabon and seasoned government insider—was appointed as provisional administrator of AGP and Gabon Matin by then Minister Guy Maixent Mamiaka. In 2022, he was succeeded by Sébastien Ntoutoum Bekale, another political appointee with experience in various government departments. Following Bekale’s diplomatic appointment as ambassador to Equatorial Guinea in March 2023, Nick Jocelyn Blampain Fouba was named Chief Executive Officer of AGP.
These successive appointments, all drawn from state institutions, underscore the close entanglement between AGP and the executive branch.
A 2025 profile from UNA-OIC (a coalition of Islamic news agencies) notes that Ghislain Ruffin Etoughet Nzuet took office as AGP’s Director General in October 2024. Under his leadership, the agency has undertaken modernization efforts, including improving working conditions in regional branches, upgrading the Port‑Gentil office, and organizing strategy workshops to enhance journalistic quality.
Source of funding and budget
AGP is wholly reliant on public funding. Over the past decade, the agency has faced chronic underfunding, delayed salary disbursements, and periodic financial instability. At its peak, AGP received an annual state subsidy of XAF 1.5 billion (approx. US$ 2.6 million). By 2016, this had dwindled to XAF 200 million (US$ 350,000), according to public records.
In 2023, the agency’s budget reportedly increased to XAF 697 million (US$ 1.17 million). Despite the uplift, AGP continued to operate at a deficit, highlighting structural funding shortfalls. Payment delays—sometimes up to ten months—further strained staff morale and operational capacity.
According to an Afropages announcement, AGP’s 2025 budget was set by the Board of Directors at XAF 855 million (~US$ 1.5 million). This figure indicates a notable revision from previous years and reflects late-2024 fiscal planning, but demonstrates ongoing financial support from authorities.
Editorial independence
AGP’s editorial agenda is closely aligned with the government’s narrative. While there are no formal directives mandating pro-government reporting, the agency’s output routinely echoes the messaging of the ruling elite. Journalists covering Gabon interviewed for this report describe AGP as deliberately minimalist in its coverage—publishing only what is deemed safe or officially sanctioned, in an effort to steer clear of controversy.
Tensions between editorial staff and management have risen in recent years. In September 2023, AGP employees staged a strike, citing lack of transparency over financial management and undue political interference in editorial decisions. The protest spotlighted the growing frustration within the agency over managerial opacity and top-down control.
To date, no statutory guarantees or independent oversight mechanisms exist to protect AGP’s editorial autonomy or assess its performance according to journalistic standards.
June 2025