Background
Francois Nguema Ndong was born on May 16, 1934, at Melene, Oyem.
Francois Nguema Ndong was born on May 16, 1934, at Melene, Oyem.
Educated locally and at the Narbonne Technical College, the Clermont Ferrand Lycee and University and at the Ecole Nationale Supérieur des Mines in Paris.
He returned to become Assistant Director of Mines in October 1963 and Director in March 1964. He then went into private industry, when he was appointed director of the Gabon Portland Cement Company and president of the Gabonese Company for Mining Research and Exploitation (SOGAREM) until 1969. This was the state company in charge of coordinating mining development in the country. After President Albert Bongo came to power, he was given his first cabinet appointment in 1969 as Minister of Mines, Water Resources and Power, and, from 1971, Minister of State for Agriculture, Livestock and Rural Economy and a new responsibility for Environment. In September he was switched to Environment, Forestry and Civic Service.