Diospyros boala is a tree up to 25 m tall that occurs in humid forests and mangroves between 0 to 650 m elevation. The species is known from Cameroon, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Gabon. It is known from 47 collections and 159 observations (individuals) in Kribi, made between 1914 (Vermoesen 261) and 2014 (Nguema 2801). Sixteen collections that are without accurate locality data were not taken into account in the calculation of the extent of occurrence (EOO) in this assessment. Five collections representing five occurrences were made in three protected areas, two in the Lopé National Park (McPherson 15705 & Doucet 411), one in Loango National Park (Bourobou 901) both in Gabon, and two in Odzala National Park (Dowsett Lemaire 1699 & 1740) in the Republic of the Congo. These five occurrences represent three locations. Sixteen occurrences are recorded from 11 different logging concessions, as such, they are threatened by 11 distinct events and thus represent 11 locations. The occurrence around Lastourville is threatened by the conversion of the forest to palm plantation which represents one location. In Rabi, five occurrences in the Smithsonian Institution plots do not show any evidence of current threat; 159 observations that are within an active oil concession in Rabi are undergoing threat from oil exploration activities resulting in a decline in habitat quality of the species. Therefore the occurrences in Rabi represent 2 locations. The occurrence near Ipengedjé in Cameroon is threatened by the wood harvesting for subsistence due to its proximity to the road, it represents thus one location. The occurrences at Ongongondje (Cameroon), near Akone-Kye do not show any evidence of current threat according to the forest cover as well as the occurrence near Nyanga (Gabon); both occurrences represent two locations. The occurrence in the Estuaire (one location) is threatened by the logging, urban development, and oil exploration activities that result in a decline in habitat quality of the species. Given the level of urban development at Oyem, one occurrence (Le Testu 9486) is considered to be extirpated or likely to be extirpated in the near future. The remaining 28 collections represent 26 occurrences and 17 or 18 subpopulations. The EOO of Diospyros boala is calculated to be over 1,232,765 km². These 17–18 subpopulations represent a total of 21 locations (sensu IUCN Standards and Petitions Committee 2019), with respect to the most serious plausible threats, the level of urban development and logging, far exceeding the upper limit for Vulnerable status, and the species is not fragmented. Diospyros boala occurs also in palm plantation areas, small-scale activities such as shifting agriculture also gradually alter the sites where the species occurs. Despite these likely threats, we project that the ongoing loss and degradation of its habitat will not result in a strong continuous decline in the number of subpopulations and mature individuals in the future. Diospyros boala appears quite frequently throughout much of its large range, and a decline of its EOO cannot be predicted. Despite the past decline in the AOO, habitat quality, and the number of locations and mature individuals, the conditions for applying subcriteria a under criterion B2 are not met, and Diospyros boala thus cannot be regarded as threatened under criterion B nor criterion A. Considering its large area of distribution and the number of locations (21), Diospyros boala is thus assigned a status of Least Concern.

Diospyros boala occurs in Cameroon, Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Gabon, and is recorded in humid forests and mangroves between 0 and 650 m elevation. It is known from 47 collections, and 159 observations, made between 1914 (Vermoesen 261) and 2014 (Nguema 2801).

Despite the past decline of the AOO, the habitat quality and the number of mature individuals, we have no data enabling us to quantify any decline in population. This species is considered a hyperdominant species (Cooper et al. 2024).

This is a tree of up to 25 m in height. It grows in lowland and swamp forest including mangroves.

The species occurs in logging concessions in Gabon, in urban areas near Libreville and Oyem (Gabon), in industrial areas in Coastal Cameroon, and small scale plantations in Woleu Ntem (Gabon). The most serious plausible threats are the impacts of forest exploitation (logging) and the level of urban development.

All the Diospyros species are used in carpentry for house construction. This species might also be used in carpentry and it is recorded for making shafts of spears (=boala).

Five of the occurrences occur within three protected areas: the Lopé National Park and Loango National Park in Gabon, and the Odzala National Park in the Republic of the Congo. It is not known to be kept in any ex situ collection (BGCI 2023).