It is the principal town in the Boumi-Louetsi Department in Ngounié Province, about 84 kilometres from Ndendé.

[2][3] This region of Gabon is very densely forested with evergreen trees, especially to the east with the Birougou National Park.

A Roman Catholic Mission and school was established in Mbigou in the early 20th century.

The school had considerable importance in this region and students came from surrounding areas to attend it.

[4] In the 1990s the town received Canadian investment, with a loan of CFA1.38bn for electrification work and provision of drinking water and also for a hydroelectric scheme in the area.