In brief
- On September 18, the Gabonese Council of Ministers approved a decree banning the export of iboga and all its derivatives, in any form, to any individual or company.
- The regulation tightens a May decree that had previously required prior authorization from the Ministry of Culture to research, market, or export the plant.
- The Council of Ministers presents this as a way to strengthen the protection of the plant and preserve the cultural heritage and traditional knowledge associated with it.
Gabon has decided to completely close the legal exit for iboga beyond its borders. The Council of Ministers, meeting on September 18 in Port-Gentil under the presidency of Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, approved a draft decree prohibiting the export of the plant and any of its derivatives, regardless of their presentation, to individuals, companies, or associations alike.
From seeking permission to a total ban
The measure does not come out of nowhere. In May, Gabon had already declared iboga a national strategic asset through decree 0239/PR, which required prior authorization from the Ministry of Culture—with the approval of an interministerial technical commission—for any activity related to the plant, ranging from research to export. That text replaced a 2004 regulation that treated iboga as a simple forest product. The September decree goes a step further: it is no longer a matter of asking for permission, but rather that exports are now directly prohibited. The text, presented by the Ministry of Youth, Sports, Cultural Outreach, and Arts, notes that anyone who violates this faces sanctions provided for under the country’s criminal, forestry, and customs legislation.
A plant under pressure
This tightening coincides with a notable increase in international interest in ibogaine, the alkaloid from iboga that various clinics and research programs use to treat opioid addiction and post-traumatic stress. The United States has allocated public funds to accelerate this research, and with it, the demand for raw materials is growing. Gabonese organizations such as Blessings of the Forest have long warned of patents registered in the United States for ibogaine without recognition or compensation for the communities that safeguard the traditional knowledge of iboga and ibogaine, in addition to reports of illegal trafficking and uncontrolled harvesting in protected areas.
What it implies
For international clinics offering ibogaine treatments, the impact is limited in the immediate term: a good portion of the ibogaine they use does not come from Gabonese iboga, but from voacangine extracted from Voacanga africana, a different shrub that grows in Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria, and other countries in West and Central Africa. However, the ban does close a legal access route to the original plant and the knowledge associated with its ritual use in Bwiti, the Gabonese spiritual tradition that has guarded iboga for generations. It remains to be seen whether Gabon will succeed in enforcing the rule and how it will be applied in practice.
Source
- Gabon Mediatime. Gabon: le gouvernement sonne la fin de l’exportation de l’Iboga et ses dérivés. Gabon Mediatime, September 20, 2026.
Educational content written from a harm reduction perspective and with respect for individual freedom. It is not a substitute for advice from a healthcare professional and is not intended to encourage or condemn any drug use.
