SWIFT/BIC codes in Gabon

Bank SWIFT codes for Gabon

This directory covers 10 banks and financial institutions in Gabon, with 24 SWIFT/BIC codes in total. You need a SWIFT/BIC code mainly when making international transfers.

Look for the recipient’s bank in the list and click through for the full list of codes and what else a transfer requires. Further down we explain how codes from Gabon are built, how to send money to Gabon at a fair price and what to check before you pay.

How reliable is this list?

The best place to find the right code remains a document from the bank itself. An incorrect BIC can cause a delay, a payment being sent back or additional charges.

We collect SWIFT/BIC codes using public sources and update our list regularly. Still, banks merge, rename themselves or change codes, so information can be out of date. Use our data as a starting point rather than the last word; the recipient’s bank details are leading. We are an independent comparison service and not part of any bank listed here.

Watch out for payment requests with changed bank details. A real SWIFT code says nothing about whether a request is genuine: criminals use real codes too.

Tracking a payment to Gabon

There is no fixed answer for payments to Gabon: some arrive the same day or the next. Payments made late in the day or on weekends and holidays often go out the next business day.

When a payment takes longer than expected, ask the sender to contact the sending bank for a trace – the receiving bank often cannot see a payment that has not arrived. Save the payment confirmation until the recipient confirms – you will need it if something goes wrong.

Why a transfer to Gabon needs a SWIFT code

Since Gabon is outside SEPA, an international payment is usually sent through SWIFT. That means you always need the BIC of the recipient’s bank.

In some countries, accounts are identified by a domestic account number rather than an IBAN and sometimes a local routing or branch code. The receiving bank often has instructions for payments from abroad, and it is worth following them to the letter. International transfers sometimes go via correspondent banks.

Which bank in Gabon has the most codes?

Bgfibank tops our list of Gabon banks in the number of SWIFT/BIC codes. The head office of Bgfibank uses BGFIGALIXXX; that is usually the right code for a transfer.

Banks differ in whether they register branch codes, so the count is not a ranking of size. If not a branch code is given, the head office code BGFIGALIXXX works for transfers to this bank.

The structure of a Gabon SWIFT/BIC code

SWIFT/BIC codes follow one international format: 8 characters plus an optional three-character extension. Characters one to four identify the bank, characters five and six form the country code and the next two mark the location.

You can recognise a bank code from Gabon from letters five and six: they always show the ISO country code of Gabon. When those two letters do not match Gabon, the code belongs to a bank somewhere else.

When a code ends in XXX, it means the main office, and the 8-character version leads to the same place. Choose a branch code only when the recipient explicitly gives you one; otherwise the head office code is the safe choice.

Receiving money in Gabon from abroad

A sender in another country needs several details from you – incomplete details often cause delays. In practice that means: your full name exactly as it appears on the account, your IBAN or account number, the BIC of your bank and sometimes your address.

Find your bank in the list on this page. Certain banks also ask for your bank’s address.

Do not be surprised if the amount credited is below the amount on the sender’s receipt. Charges on incoming payments differ from bank to bank; check the price list of your bank. Agree with the sender who covers the fees before the money is sent.

What a transfer to Gabon really costs

If you send money to Gabon with your bank, the fee you see is only part of what you pay. You pay a transfer fee, sometimes charges from intermediary banks and, most importantly, the exchange rate markup if the money is converted.

The real cost is often in the rate. A simple test: put the offered rate next to the mid-market rate and work out the difference on your amount.

Specialised transfer providers frequently offer a rate near the mid-market rate and lower fees. Before you send money to Gabon, it is worth comparing what arrives on GoldexPay.