Gabon legal and accounting and tax considerations in 2024
- All companies must pay corporate tax on their Gabon based income at the standard rate of 30%. However, for land development companies, the rate is reduced to 25%, while for oil companies, the rate is increased to 35%;
- The standard VAT rate in Gabon is 18%. All companies must file their VAT returns by the 20th of every month;
- Dividends to a Gabonese resident company are taxed at 30% while dividends to a non-resident company are taxed at 15%;
- Royalties and interest payments to a non-resident company are subject to a withholding tax rate of 10%;
- Capital gains are taxed at 30%. However, capital gains made from sale of fixed assets can be exempt if the profits are re-invested in purchasing new assets for the business;
- Tax losses can be carried forward for three years;
- Companies are subject to an alternative minimum tax of 1% on the annual turnover;
- Branch offices are subject to an additional remittance tax of 10%;
- Property tax on developed land is 15% while for undeveloped land, the rate is 25%;
- Social security contributions are shared between employers (20%) and employees (3%);
- Corporate tax returns must be filed annually by the 30th of April. Late filings are subject to a penalty of up to 10% of the total tax;
- Healy Consultants Compliance Department will assist our Clients with i) documenting and implementing accounting procedures ii) implementing financial accounting software iii) preparation of financial accounting records and iv) preparing forecasts, budgets and sensitivity analysis;
- It is important our Clients’ are aware of their personal and corporate tax obligations in their country of residence and domicile; and they will fulfill those obligations annually. Let us know if you need Healy Consultants’ help to clarify your annual reporting obligations.
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Legal and compliance
- A typical Gabon company can be formed with 1 shareholder and 1 director who can be of any nationality;
- A resident company must file VAT returns monthly, social security returns quarterly and corporate tax returns annually;
- A resident company, incorporated outside the Special Economic Zones, can only hire up to 10% non-Gabonese nationals;
- Monetary transfers of over US$2,090, made outside the CEMAC region, will require prior approval from the Central Bank;
- All firms are required to file their tax returns separately within 4 months of the end of the year. There is no system of filing consolidated tax returns in Gabon;
- The total rate of contributions to an employee’s social security is 23% out of which 20% is contributed by the employer;
- The standard working time is 45 hours a week. Overtime work must be compensated with 1.5 times the standard pay;
- Gabon legal system is party to the New York convention on Recognition and Enforcement of International Arbitral awards. So, arbitration in other countries which follow this convention will be enforceable in Gabon;
- Gabonese law bars discrimination in matters of employment on the grounds of religion, caste, creed, gender and HIV status;
- Gabon’s anti-competition law prevents the formation of cartels and monopolies. So, firms must take permission from the authorities on all M&A matters.