Promote:
Invest in Cabo Verde
A short guide for companies expanding into Cabo Verde: the economy at a glance, the rules and steps to set up, and who can help, each with its source.
1. Cabo Verde at a glance
PopulationEstimate
527,326
Population was 527,326 people in 2025.
Source: World Bank WDI, population, Cabo Verde, 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of 2025
GDPEstimate
US$3.06 billion
GDP was US$3,056,630,435 in 2025, in current dollars.
Source: World Bank WDI, GDP in current dollars, 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of 2025
GDP per personEstimate
US$5,796
GDP per person was US$5,796.47 in 2025, in current dollars.
Source: World Bank WDI, GDP per person, 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of 2025
Real GDP growthEstimate
6.3%
Real GDP growth was 6.3 percent in 2025.
Source: World Bank WDI, real GDP growth, 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of 2025
Inflation
2.7%
Consumer prices rose 2.7 percent over twelve months to September 2026.
Source: INE Cabo Verde, consumer price index, September 2026 (in Portuguese) (opens in a new tab) · as of September 2026
Foreign direct investment inflows
US$153.1 million
Foreign direct investment inflows were US$153.086 million in 2025.
Source: UNCTADstat, foreign direct investment inflows, Cabo Verde, 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of 2025
The currency is the Cabo Verdean escudo.
Source: WTO, Trade Policy Review of Cabo Verde, April 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of April 9, 2025
2. Before you set up
The investment agency, any one-stop route, the sectors reserved for nationals and the zones, as the guide found them.
Cabo Verde TradeInvest, which replaced Cabo Verde Investimentos in 2016, is the investment and export promotion agency.
Source: WTO, Trade Policy Review of Cabo Verde, April 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of April 9, 2025
CVTI runs the Single Window for Investment, where investors submit projects and track their progress.
Source: WTO, Trade Policy Review of Cabo Verde, April 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of April 9, 2025
As of 2025, per the WTO review, Decree-Law 2/2020 requires 51 percent Cabo Verdean ownership for commercial fishing and 25 percent for inter-island maritime support.
Source: WTO, Trade Policy Review of Cabo Verde, April 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of April 9, 2025
As of 2025, per the WTO review, three special economic zones had been created by law: São Vicente maritime, Maio island, and technologies in Praia and Mindelo.
Source: WTO, Trade Policy Review of Cabo Verde, April 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of April 9, 2025
3. Steps to set up
The main steps, in order, each with the body responsible and its official page.
Setting up in Cabo Verde
- Request a firm-name admissibility certificate, then form the company through the Empresa no Dia procedure or the registry.Câmara de Comércio de SotaventoCertificate costs CVE 600; company act on the online platform costs CVE 10,000 after the free periodOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: Cabo Verde, Foreign Trade Manual, January 2022 (in Portuguese) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 30, 2026
- Get the tax identification number and file the start-of-activity declaration, Model 110.Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira de Cabo Verde, I.P.Official page (opens in a new tab)
Source: Cabo Verde, Foreign Trade Manual, January 2022 (in Portuguese) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 30, 2026
- Submit projects above CVE 5 million to the Single Window for Investment and obtain the Investment Registration Certificate.Cabo Verde TradeInvestOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: WTO, Trade Policy Review of Cabo Verde, April 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of April 9, 2025
- Register the foreign investment with the central bank through CVTI to secure transfers abroad.Banco de Cabo VerdeTransfer authorized within 30 days of the requestOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: Cabo Verde, Investment Law with 2013 amendment (in Portuguese) (opens in a new tab) · as of September 24, 2013
Show 3 more set-up steps
- Seek the approval the project needs: the sector authority, or the Council of Ministers for an Establishment Contract.Cabo Verde TradeInvestOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: WTO, Trade Policy Review of Cabo Verde, April 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of April 9, 2025
- Apply for incentives: the Investment Law tax credit, a license in the International Business Center, or a special economic zone regime.Cabo Verde TradeInvestOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: WTO, Trade Policy Review of Cabo Verde, April 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of April 9, 2025
- Arrange visas and residence titles for foreign staff with the foreigners and borders directorate.Direção de Estrangeiros e FronteirasOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: Boletim Oficial, foreigners rules, May 2025 (in Portuguese) (opens in a new tab) · as of May 15, 2025
4. Organizations that help investors
Start with ATCV. Each card links to the organization’s own site.
Each card says what it can help with:Get adviceFind financeMeet requirementsResearch markets
Investment and business setup
- Get advice
Special economic zone authority
AZEEMSV
Autoridade da Zona Económica Especial Marítima de São Vicente
Manages the São Vicente maritime special economic zone and runs its own one-stop business center.
Visit AZEEMSV (opens in a new tab)Source: WTO, Trade Policy Review of Cabo Verde, April 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of April 9, 2025
- Get advice
Business support institute
Pró Empresa
Pró Empresa - Instituto de Apoio e Promoção Empresarial
Supports micro, small and medium companies with programs, consultant accreditation and a special regime for small firms.
Visit Pró Empresa (opens in a new tab)Source: Pró Empresa, home page (in Portuguese) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 30, 2026
Show 1 more organization
- Meet requirements
Central bank
BCV
Banco de Cabo Verde
Registers foreign investment and authorizes transfers of investment income abroad.
Visit BCV (opens in a new tab)Source: Cabo Verde, Investment Law with 2013 amendment (in Portuguese) (opens in a new tab) · as of September 24, 2013
Customs and tax
- Meet requirements
Tax and customs authority
ATCV
Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira de Cabo Verde, I.P.
Collects taxes and customs duties and clears goods at the border.
Visit ATCV (opens in a new tab)Source: Boletim Oficial, tax and customs authority, November 2025 (in Portuguese) (opens in a new tab) · as of November 4, 2025
National ports company
ENAPOR
Empresa Nacional de Administração dos Portos, S.A. (ENAPOR, S.A.)
Manages nine national ports, whose tariffs cover container handling.
Visit ENAPOR (opens in a new tab)Source: WTO, Trade Policy Review of Cabo Verde, April 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of April 9, 2025
Chambers and industry associations
- Get advice
Chamber of commerce
CCS
Câmara de Comércio de Sotavento
Issues exporter and importer licenses and offers company creation counters.
Visit CCS (opens in a new tab)Source: Câmara de Comércio de Sotavento, commercial licensing (in Portuguese) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 30, 2026
- Get advice
Chamber of commerce
CCB
Câmara de Comércio de Barlavento
Issues commercial licenses and authorizes certificates of origin, including ECOWAS and the European Union's registered exporter system.
Visit CCB (opens in a new tab)Source: Câmara de Comércio de Barlavento, licensing and certificates (in Portuguese) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 30, 2026
5. Worth knowing
Currency and settlement
As of 2025, per the WTO review, the escudo is pegged to the euro at CVE 110.265 per euro, and foreign exchange operations linked to trade face no restriction.
What to do: Confirm payment terms and currency with your bank before you sign a contract.
Source: WTO, Trade Policy Review of Cabo Verde, April 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of April 9, 2025
Reserved sectors
As of 2025, per the WTO review, commercial fishing needs 51 percent Cabo Verdean ownership and inter-island maritime support needs 25 percent.
What to do: Check the ownership rule for your sector before you form a company.
Source: WTO, Trade Policy Review of Cabo Verde, April 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of April 9, 2025
Public debt and arrears
As of 2025, per the WTO review, Cabo Verde's risk of debt distress remains high because of state-owned enterprise liabilities.
What to do: Check payment terms before you sign contracts with public bodies or state-owned companies.
Source: WTO, Trade Policy Review of Cabo Verde, April 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of April 9, 2025
Incentive complexity
As of 2025, per the WTO review, incentives sit in several laws, and administering many tax and customs exemptions is hard for the authorities.
What to do: Ask CVTI which regime fits your project and keep its answer in writing.
Source: WTO, Trade Policy Review of Cabo Verde, April 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of April 9, 2025
Show 2 more
Climate and water
As of 2025, per the WTO review, scarce resources and droughts limit farming, which met 10 to 15 percent of domestic food needs in 2023.
What to do: Check water access and irrigation costs before you start a farming or food project.
Source: WTO, Trade Policy Review of Cabo Verde, April 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of April 9, 2025
Government reorganization
Decree-Law 38/2026, effective June 19, 2026, regrouped ministries for the new government, and trade, quality and industrial property now sit under one ministry.
What to do: Confirm the current name of each office before you file an application.
Source: Boletim Oficial, Government organic law, July 2026 (in Portuguese) (opens in a new tab) · as of July 29, 2026
6. How Promote:Global helps
- Compare Cabo Verde with other countriesSet Cabo Verde beside other countries on investment momentum, fundamentals and trade access, before site, tax and legal work.
- Find advisors and service firmsAsk an advisory firm a scoped, paid question, or browse firms that list their own services, from legal work to logistics.
- Organize your next stepsKeep each product and market in a project, with a roadmap of steps you work through.
Turn this guide into your Cabo Verde project.
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Promote:Cabo Verde is an independent guide by Promote:Global, not an official government portal. The organizations named here are independent public and membership bodies, not Promote:Global partners, and every link goes to their own site.
Facts read from public sources, with an editorial cut-off of October 30, 2026. Nothing here is investment, legal, tax or sanctions advice. Check current status with the organization before you rely on it.