GABON
March 2026
‘We are skating at the King’s Bay Skatepark which is the first skatepark built in the sub-region.’
Can you tell us something about Gabon no one knows?
A little-known fact about Gabon is that its capital, Libreville, was founded in the mid-19th century by freed slaves. The name Libreville could translate as FreeTown. This historical detail is often overlooked, even though it marks the city’s unique origin, rooted in liberation and refuge from former slaves. In addition, Gabon boasts exceptional biodiversity, with about 80% of its territory covered in dense tropical rain forests, making it one of the most forested countries in Africa. These forests are home to rare species such as the Gabon pangolin and the picathartes, as well as half of Africa’s Forest elephant population.
When was skateboarding introduced to Gabon?
Skateboarding was introduced to Gabon dating back to its creation in the 1950s. However, the discipline did not develop significantly and gradually faded over time. Starting in the 2000s we brought new energy to the sport. Over time, we first formed a group of skaters around the launch of Facebook in 2009, and later, around 2020, we formalized the discipline by creating an association. This provided enthusiasts with a legal framework to promote skateboarding in an official and structured way.
How many active skaters are there?
There are about 70 skaters in Gabon.
Do you have any places to skate?
We are skating at the King’s Bay Skatepark (Skatepark de la Baie des Rois) which is the first skatepark built in the sub-region and inaugurated in August 2023. Our neighbouring country Cameroun also has a skatepark.
Cameroun has only one park?
Cameroon has only one skatepark. It was inaugurated last year on December 13. It is in Yaoundé, in the Ngoulmekong neighborhood. It is also the largest skatepark in Central Africa. This 6,000 m² complex is open to the public and features facilities for skateboarding, BMX, rollerblading, scooters, breaking, and 3×3 basketball.
Tell us something about yourself?
My name is Hugo Peillon, and I am part of cluster of people involved in the development of skateboarding in Gabon. I am the co-founder of the association Killer’s Skate.
How did you get involved with skateboarding?
I discovered skateboarding in front of the TV, through a movie called Lords of Dogtown.
I noticed you participated in the FISE in Montpellier. How did you end up qualifying for this contest?
The partnership with FISE was established through the organization that manages our current riding location, FMCT. Numerous discussions have taken place over the past two years, and we are currently in partnership with them that allows us to use the skatepark for free. It all began with FISE District Libreville two years ago, which marked the arrival of the very first skate obstacle in Gabon (a mini ramp). The following year, the second edition of FISE District Libreville was held, featuring a national competition and the inauguration of the very first skatepark in the sub-region and now we are waiting for the next edition.
Do you get any support from outside Gabon?
We are in partnership with United Skateboards. They are our godfathers in this journey as they provide us with some materials and even formations to develop further activities related to skateboarding.
Who is United Skateboards?
United Skateboards is a French association that supports us a lot in providing for skateboards, shoes, tools, formation and advice in order to promote skateboarding here.
‘I am part of cluster of people involved in the development of skateboarding in Gabon.’
Are you in touch with other African countries to promote skateboarding?
We are of course in touch with most of the African countries involved in skateboarding like Ghana, South Africa, Ethiopia, Uganda, Zambia, Madagascar, Cameroon, Togo, Senegal etc.
When researching about Gabon, I learned that your country is relatively in good state from an economical and more importantly from a humanitarian perspective compared to some of your neighbouring countries. Is this a fair assessment?
Even though we do not have any skate shop yet and it is a big challenge to get skateboarding materials, globally the country is in a quite good economically and humanitarian state compared to our neighbouring countries.
Last question. If you could interview a person?
The President of the association and also founder, Gustelly, as we have the same experience and a broader view of all the activities related to developing skateboarding in Gabon.