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The history of subsidence and thermal evolution of the Kribi-Campo sub-basin in the Gulf of Guinea was constrained from 10 offshore wells using the post-compaction offloading technique. Four main subsidence phases were recognized: a first Barremian to Aptian phase (130–112 Ma); a second Albian to Senonian phase (112–65 Ma); a third Paleocene to Miocene phase (65–5 Ma); and a fourth Pliocene to Pleistocene phase (5–2 Ma). Maps of subsidence extent and rate and of deposition show an extensive subsidence zone in the western part of the basin around Kribi. Extension factor β values for the uniform extension model range from 1.04 to 1.06. Graphically, tectonic subsidence curves are framed by curves corresponding to β values of 1.03 and 1.09. Sediment paleotemperatures and geothermal gradients were obtained from the slopes of linear tectonic subsidence curves as a function of the square root of time, and they are in perfect agreement with values measured in the wells. For instance, a temperature gradient of 35.316 °C·km−1 was obtained for maximum temperatures, compared to a gradient of 35.554 °C·km−1 derived from well measurements. A comparison of calculated and measured vitrinite reflectance values R o shows good agreement. These vitrinite values indicate that the Cretaceous and Lower Tertiary host rocks probably reached thermal maturity. [Journal translation] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]