Gabon has launched an unprecedented international conference aimed at structuring, protecting, and monetising iboga, a sacred plant central to local tradition and increasingly sought after for its therapeutic potential. The initiative reflects broader efforts to assert biodiversity sovereignty and build a regulated bio-economy.
On Monday 12 January 2026, Gabon opened a landmark International Conference on Iboga and Ibogaine in Libreville, bringing together scientists, policymakers, traditional custodians, and international partners. Held under the theme “Iboga, root of Gabon, source of a sustainable future”, the two-day event marks a strategic turning point in how the country seeks to manage and valorise one of its most emblematic natural and cultural resources.
Long revered as a sacred plant within the Bwiti spiritual tradition, iboga has in recent years attracted growing global attention for the properties of ibogaine, an alkaloid studied for its potential role in addiction treatment. Gabon’s authorities now aim to ensure that this rising international interest translates into ethical governance, environmental protection, and national economic benefit.
From Sacred Root to Strategic Resource
Iboga occupies a unique position in Gabonese society. Indigenous to the forests of Central Africa, it is deeply embedded in spiritual initiation rites and traditional knowledge systems. At the same time, its pharmacological potential has propelled it into international scientific and commercial discussions, particularly in Europe and North America.
For years, Gabon has struggled to control the informal extraction and export of iboga, often carried out without adequate regulation, benefit-sharing, or protection of traditional knowledge. The Libreville conference represents an explicit attempt to reverse this pattern.
Rather than remaining a passive source of raw material, Gabon now seeks to position itself as the principal regulator, certifier, and beneficiary of the global iboga value chain.
High-Level Participation Signals Political Commitment
The opening ceremony underscored the political and strategic importance attached to the issue. Among the participants were Maurice Ntossui Allogo, Minister of Environment, Water and Forests and Climate; Bryan Hubbard, CEO of Americans for Ibogaine; Scyrielle Sende Etali, Director General of AGADEV; and Emmanuel Bayani Ngoyi, Director of Environment and Nature Protection and national focal point for the Nagoya Protocol.
Their presence signalled a clear intention to anchor iboga governance within existing international frameworks on biodiversity, access to genetic resources, and fair benefit-sharing.
The conference aligns with Gabon’s broader environmental diplomacy, which has already positioned the country as a leader in forest conservation and carbon governance in the Congo Basin.
Reconciling Ancestral Knowledge and Modern Science
A central theme of the discussions is the reconciliation of ancestral knowledge systems with modern scientific research. Organisers emphasised that iboga cannot be treated as a conventional commodity without undermining its cultural and spiritual significance.
This framing reflects growing international debates over the ethical use of traditional medicinal plants and the risks of biopiracy when indigenous knowledge is commercialised without consent or compensation.
International Partners Call for Balanced Governance
International stakeholders echoed the need for equilibrium between scientific development and cultural respect. Bryan Hubbard, whose organisation has been active in ibogaine research and advocacy, stressed Gabon’s central role in shaping the sector’s future.
Such statements point to a shift in tone from earlier phases of ibogaine research, which often took place outside Africa with limited involvement of source countries.
Environmental Protection and Legal Frameworks
Environmental sustainability emerged as a core concern. Minister Maurice Ntossui Allogo warned against unchecked exploitation and framed iboga as a strategic national asset rather than a niche cultural artefact.
The inclusion of the Nagoya Protocol focal point highlights the government’s intention to formalise access and benefit-sharing mechanisms, potentially setting precedents for other non-timber forest products in Central Africa.
Toward a National Iboga Industry
Beyond symbolism, the conference aims to lay the foundations for a structured national iboga industry. Discussions cover the entire value chain: forest conservation, cultivation methods, scientific research, product certification, and regulatory oversight of exports.
By promoting domestic processing and certification, Gabon hopes to capture greater value while ensuring traceability and ethical standards—an approach consistent with its wider push to move beyond raw commodity exports.
For investors and development partners, iboga represents a test case for how biodiversity-rich countries can leverage niche bio-resources without repeating extractive models of the past.
“More than a plant, it is a strategic asset that we must preserve and enhance within an ethical and sovereign framework.”
— Maurice Ntossui Allogo, Minister of Environment, Water and Forests
The Libreville conference marks a decisive moment in Gabon’s effort to redefine its relationship with iboga—from sacred forest root to strategically governed bio-resource. By bringing together tradition, science, and state authority, the country is attempting to chart a path that safeguards cultural heritage while unlocking economic potential.
Whether this ambition translates into durable institutions and enforceable regulations remains to be seen. However, the message to the international community is clear: Gabon intends to be more than a source—it seeks to be the steward, regulator, and primary beneficiary of its “green gold.”
