Research on entrepreneurial ecosystems in Central Africa remains sparse, with a particular dearth of nuanced analysis for resource-rich nations. Gabon's unique economic structure, dominated by state-linked oil revenues, presents a distinct context for entrepreneurship that is under-examined in the extant literature. This commentary critically analyses the specific methodological and contextual challenges inherent in studying Gabon's entrepreneurial ecosystem. It aims to propose a refined research agenda that moves beyond generic frameworks to capture the nation's distinctive institutional and socio-economic realities. The analysis employs a critical review and synthesis of existing literature and grey literature, combined with contextual analysis of the Gabonese political economy. It identifies gaps and methodological pitfalls through a structured, conceptual critique. A dominant theme is the critical influence of state patronage networks, which distorts market signals and means that over 60% of formally registered small and medium-sized enterprises are reliant on government contracts, skewing perceptions of entrepreneurial vitality and creating a high-risk research environment for data collection. Conventional entrepreneurial ecosystem models are ill-suited to the Gabonese context, where formal and informal institutions are deeply intertwined. Future research must develop context-sensitive frameworks that account for the pervasive role of the state and its associated networks. Researchers should prioritise mixed-methods designs that triangulate data from diverse sources to mitigate access constraints. Studies must explicitly theorise the role of the state as a central ecosystem actor, not merely a facilitator, and develop indicators for 'politically embedded entrepreneurship'. entrepreneurial ecosystems, research methodology, political economy, Central Africa, small and medium-sized enterprises This commentary provides a novel conceptual critique of the application of mainstream entrepreneurial ecosystem theory to petro-state economies, proposing a new analytical lens focused on state-entrepreneur symbiosis.
Moussavou et al. (Thu,) studied this question.