Promote:
Invest in Equatorial Guinea
A short guide for companies expanding into Equatorial Guinea: the economy at a glance, the rules and steps to set up, and who can help, each with its source.
1. Equatorial Guinea at a glance
PopulationEstimate
1.94 million
The population was 1,938,431 people in 2025.
Source: World Bank, Equatorial Guinea population, 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of 2025
GDPEstimate
US$12.8 billion
GDP was US$12.8 billion in 2025, in current United States dollars.
Source: World Bank, Equatorial Guinea GDP, 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of 2025
GDP per personEstimate
US$6,615
GDP per person was US$6,615 in 2025, in current United States dollars.
Source: World Bank, Equatorial Guinea GDP per person, 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of 2025
Real GDP growthEstimate
−5.8%
Real GDP growth was -5.8 percent in 2025.
Source: World Bank, Equatorial Guinea real GDP growth, 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of 2025
Inflation
3.2%
Consumer prices rose 3.2 percent in the twelve months to June 2026, according to the central bank's CEMAC inflation note.
Source: BEAC, CEMAC inflation note, June 2026 (in French) (opens in a new tab) · as of June 2026
Foreign direct investment inflows
US$293.9 million
Foreign direct investment inflows were US$293.9 million in 2025.
Source: UNCTADstat, Equatorial Guinea inward FDI flows, 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of 2025
The currency is the Central African CFA franc (XAF).
Source: BEAC, role of the central bank (in French) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 30, 2026
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.
No investment promotion agency is listed; the World Bank names setting one up as a reform step in May 2024.
Source: World Bank, Equatorial Guinea investment climate reforms, May 2024 (opens in a new tab) · as of May 29, 2024
The Ventanilla Única Empresarial, created by Decree 67/2017, registers new companies, branches and representative offices in one place.
Source: Finance ministry, Doing Business in EG page (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 30, 2026
Ley 7/1992 provides for a negative list of reserved activities, and none was found; Decreto 127/2004 requires Equatoguinean shareholders in oil-sector companies and their subcontractors.
Source: Decree 127/2004, national shareholding, gazette scan (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of September 14, 2004
Ley 7/1992 names no free or special economic zone, and no official list of zones was found.
Source: Law 7/1992, special investment regime, gazette scan (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of April 30, 1992
3. Steps to set up
The main steps, in order, each with the body responsible and its official page.
Setting up in Equatorial Guinea
- Prepare the company file in Spanish, French or Portuguese: identity papers, location map, founding act, foreign owners’ legalized criminal record certificates and proof of the source of funds.Ventanilla Única EmpresarialOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: Finance ministry, Doing Business in EG page (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 30, 2026
- Register the new company, branch or representative office at the one-stop shop; a foreign parent files its legalized statutes and trade register extract.Ventanilla Única EmpresarialOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: Finance ministry, Doing Business in EG page (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 30, 2026
- Obtain the tax number (NIF) and the tax registration that the company file requires; forms are on the finance ministry site.Ministerio de Hacienda, Presupuestos y Planificación NacionalOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: Finance ministry, procedures page (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 30, 2026
- Apply for approval of the investment project under Ley 7/1992 as amended in 1994; the ministry answers within 60 days and issues a certificate listing incentives.Ministerio de Hacienda, Presupuestos y Planificación Nacional60 days for the ministry’s answerOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: Law 7/1992, special investment regime, gazette scan (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of April 30, 1992
Show 1 more set-up step
- Declare foreign direct investment to the central bank and the ministry in charge of money at least 30 days before it is made.Banque des États de l'Afrique Centrale30 days before the investmentOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: BEAC, CEMAC foreign exchange regulation 02/18, December 2018 (in French) (opens in a new tab) · as of December 21, 2018
4. Organizations that help investors
Start with VUE and Ministerio de Hacienda. 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
- Meet requirements
Business registration one-stop shop
VUE
Ventanilla Única Empresarial
Registers new companies, branches and representative offices in one place, under Decree 67/2017.
Visit VUE (opens in a new tab)Source: Finance ministry, Doing Business in EG page (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 30, 2026
Business law harmonization body
OHADA
Organisation pour l'harmonisation en Afrique du droit des affaires
Regional body
Publishes the uniform business law acts that apply to companies in its member states.
Visit OHADA (opens in a new tab)Source: OHADA, member states page (in French) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 30, 2026
Show 2 more organizations
- Find finance
Regional development bank
BDEAC
Banque de Développement des États de l'Afrique Centrale
Regional body
Finances development projects in Central African states, with national representations in member countries.
Visit BDEAC (opens in a new tab)Source: BDEAC, home page (in French) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 30, 2026
- Find finance
Multilateral development bank
World Bank
World Bank Group
Multilateral body
Publishes economic updates and notes on the business climate reforms, including the one-stop shop.
Customs and tax
- Meet requirements
Finance, tax and customs ministry
Ministerio de Hacienda
Ministerio de Hacienda, Presupuestos y Planificación Nacional
Runs the customs system and tax administration, and publishes business start-up requirements and tax forms.
Visit Ministerio de Hacienda (opens in a new tab)Source: Finance ministry, about page (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 30, 2026
- Meet requirements
Regional central bank
BEAC
Banque des États de l'Afrique Centrale
Regional body
Issues the CFA franc and publishes the foreign exchange rules that apply to exports and foreign investment.
Visit BEAC (opens in a new tab)Source: BEAC, role of the central bank (in French) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 30, 2026
Show 1 more organization
- Research markets
Regional economic community
CEMAC
Communauté Économique et Monétaire de l'Afrique Centrale
Regional body
Sets the customs union rules, including the common external tariff and customs code that the country applies.
Visit CEMAC (opens in a new tab)Source: Finance ministry, Doing Business in EG page (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 30, 2026
5. Worth knowing
Currency and settlement
CEMAC rules require exports of CFAF 5 million or more to be domiciled with a CEMAC bank, with proceeds repatriated within 150 days.
What to do: Open the domiciled account with a CEMAC bank before the first shipment.
Sources: BEAC, CEMAC foreign exchange regulation 02/18, December 2018 (in French) (opens in a new tab); BEAC, role of the central bank (in French) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 30, 2026
Oil dependence
INEGE estimates hydrocarbons at 86.5 percent of 2024 goods exports, and the national export total fell 28.2 percent that year.
What to do: Test buyers outside the oil-linked economy before you commit capital.
Sources: INEGE, goods trade report, December 2025, covering 2024 (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab); World Bank, Equatorial Guinea Economic Update, July 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of October 30, 2026
Fuel prices
The central bank notes that Equatorial Guinea raised pump prices in June 2026, which could add to inflation.
What to do: Re-check transport and energy costs before you fix prices.
Source: BEAC, CEMAC inflation note, June 2026 (in French) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 30, 2026
Reserved sectors
Decreto 127/2004 requires Equatoguinean shareholders in oil-sector companies and their subcontractors; the World Bank reports a 2018 decree limited the 35 percent minimum to oil.
What to do: Confirm the national shareholding your sector requires with the finance ministry before you commit.
Sources: Decree 127/2004, national shareholding, gazette scan (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab); World Bank, Equatorial Guinea trade integration study, 2019 (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
Show 2 more
Legal certainty
The World Bank says legal uncertainty is high, and OHADA laws are available in English or French only, not Spanish.
What to do: Use a local notary and check each filing in Spanish, French or Portuguese.
Sources: World Bank, Equatorial Guinea investment climate reforms, May 2024 (opens in a new tab); Finance ministry, Doing Business in EG page (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 30, 2026
Public debt and arrears
In 2021 the country met three of four CEMAC convergence criteria, missing the one on payment arrears, per the CEMAC members’ WTO report.
What to do: Ask public buyers about payment timing before you sign a contract.
Source: WTO, CEMAC members’ trade policy report, August 2023 (opens in a new tab) · as of October 30, 2026
6. How Promote:Global helps
- Compare Equatorial Guinea with other countriesSet Equatorial Guinea 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 Equatorial Guinea project.
Use Promote:Global to explore markets, understand requirements and organize your next steps.
Free to start. No card required.
Already have an account? Sign in
Promote:Equatorial Guinea 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 31, 2026. Nothing here is investment, legal, tax or sanctions advice. Check current status with the organization before you rely on it.