Promote:
Invest in Guinea-Bissau
A short guide for companies expanding into Guinea-Bissau: the economy at a glance, the rules and steps to set up, and who can help, each with its source.
1. Guinea-Bissau at a glance
PopulationEstimate
2.25 million
Population was 2,249,515 in 2025, from World Bank WDI.
Source: World Bank WDI, Population, total, Guinea-Bissau, 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of 2025
GDPEstimate
US$2.53 billion
GDP was US$2.53 billion in 2025 in current dollars, from World Bank WDI.
Source: World Bank WDI, GDP, Guinea-Bissau, 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of 2025
GDP per personEstimate
US$1,124
GDP per person was US$1,124 in 2025 in current dollars, from World Bank WDI.
Source: World Bank WDI, GDP per capita, Guinea-Bissau, 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of 2025
Real GDP growthEstimate
5.8%
Real GDP growth was 5.8 percent in 2025, from World Bank WDI.
Source: World Bank WDI, GDP growth, Guinea-Bissau, 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of 2025
Inflation
−0.5%
Consumer prices fell 0.5 percent over twelve months to August 2026, per the regional central bank's September 2026 note.
Source: BCEAO, union economic note, September 2026 (in French) (opens in a new tab) · as of August 2026
Foreign direct investment inflows
US$33.6 million
Foreign direct investment inflows were US$33.6 million in 2025, a World Bank series built on IMF balance-of-payments data.
Source: World Bank WDI, BX.KLT.DINV.CD.WD (IMF balance-of-payments data), 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of 2025
The currency is the CFA franc.
Source: BCEAO, external financial relations rules page (in French) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 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.
Guinea-Bissau's investment agency is GBI, Guiné-Bissau Investimentos, a public body under the economy ministry whose own guide calls it the Guinean investment promotion agency.
Source: GBI investment guide, 2021 (in Portuguese) (opens in a new tab) · as of 2021
The Business Formalization Center is the single point where company creation, the commercial registry and tax registration meet, per the national business-procedures portal.
Source: eRegulations Guinea-Bissau, company creation page (in Portuguese) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
The Investment Code reserves no sector for nationals and applies regardless of the investor's nationality; mining, petroleum, forestry and free zones follow their own laws.
Source: Investment Code, Law 13/2011 of July 6, 2011 (in Portuguese) (opens in a new tab) · as of July 6, 2011
As of 2017, per the WTO review, Guinea-Bissau had no regulatory framework for free zones or free export enterprises.
Source: WTO, Trade Policy Review of WAEMU, Guinea-Bissau annex, 2017 (opens in a new tab) · as of September 14, 2017
3. Steps to set up
The main steps, in order, each with the body responsible and its official page.
Setting up in Guinea-Bissau
- Create the company at the Business Formalization Center, where the commercial registry and tax registration are handled.Centro de Formalização de Empresas129,414 CFA francs and one day, estimated by the procedures portalOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: eRegulations Guinea-Bissau, limited company procedure (in Portuguese) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
- Register the business with the tax directorate and hold a tax number.Direcção Geral das Contribuições e ImpostosOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: Guinea-Bissau customs, first steps to import or export (in Portuguese) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
- Obtain the commercial, industrial or tourism license that the activity needs.Centro de Formalização de EmpresasOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: eRegulations Guinea-Bissau, trading licenses page (in Portuguese) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
- Submit the incentive dossier with the investment project to the minister responsible for the economy.Ministério da Economia, Plano e Integração RegionalMinimum project US$34,000 for incentivesOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: Investment Code, Law 13/2011 of July 6, 2011 (in Portuguese) (opens in a new tab) · as of July 6, 2011
Show 2 more set-up steps
- Take land by concession through a public deed, registered at the land registry.Conservatória do Registo PredialOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: GBI investment guide, 2021 (in Portuguese) (opens in a new tab) · as of 2021
- Route foreign exchange through authorized banks under the regional external financial relations rules.Banque Centrale des Etats de l'Afrique de l'OuestOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: GBI investment guide, 2021 (in Portuguese) (opens in a new tab) · as of 2021
4. Organizations that help investors
Start with GBI and DGA. 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
Investment promotion agency
GBI
GBI – Guiné-Bissau Investimentos
Promotes private investment and gives investors information on the legal framework, taxes, land and sectors, per its 2021 guide.
Business formalization center
CFE
Centro de Formalização de Empresas
Handles company creation, commercial registry and tax registration in one place for new businesses.
Visit CFE (opens in a new tab)Source: eRegulations Guinea-Bissau, company creation page (in Portuguese) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
Customs and tax
- Meet requirements
Customs administration
DGA
Direção-Geral das Alfândegas
Runs export clearance in the SYDONIA World system and collects the export taxes customs is responsible for.
Visit DGA (opens in a new tab)Source: Guinea-Bissau customs, export page (in Portuguese) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
- Meet requirements
Tax authority
DGCI
Direcção Geral das Contribuições e Impostos
Issues the tax number and the cashew rural property contribution guide, and publishes tax law and forms.
Visit DGCI (opens in a new tab)Source: Guinea-Bissau tax directorate, home page (in Portuguese) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
Show 3 more organizations
Finance ministry
MF
Ministério das Finanças
Oversees customs, the tax directorate and public finance, and hosts their portals.
Visit MF (opens in a new tab)Source: Guinea-Bissau finance ministry, home page (in Portuguese) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
- Meet requirements
Regional central bank
BCEAO
Banque Centrale des Etats de l'Afrique de l'Ouest
Regional body
Issues the CFA franc, sets regional foreign exchange rules and publishes monthly economic notes.
Visit BCEAO (opens in a new tab)Source: BCEAO, home page (in French) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
- Research markets
Regional economic union
UEMOA
Union Economique et Monétaire Ouest Africaine
Regional body
Sets the customs code and common rules that apply to Guinea-Bissau as a member.
Visit UEMOA (opens in a new tab)Source: Guinea-Bissau customs, customs legislation page (in Portuguese) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
Chambers and industry associations
- Get advice
Chamber of commerce
CCIAS
Câmara de Comércio, Indústria, Agricultura e Serviços
Joins the yearly meetings that set the cashew cost structure, per the customs information sheet.
Visit CCIAS (opens in a new tab)Source: Guinea-Bissau customs, cashew export information sheet (in Portuguese) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
5. Worth knowing
Political transition
Soldiers seized power in November 2025; a constitutional referendum in August 2026 approved reforms, and presidential and legislative elections are scheduled for December 6, 2026, per the World Bank.
What to do: Check the political calendar and your lenders' and insurers' terms before you commit capital.
Sources: World Bank, Guinea-Bissau country overview (opens in a new tab); ECOWAS, 69th summit final communique, July 19, 2026 (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
Incentive rules rewritten
A 2022 budget law amended the Investment Code: operating-phase tax cuts now last at most four years, with rates by region and priority sector.
What to do: Ask the economy ministry which version of the Code applies to your dossier before you price tax cuts.
Sources: 2022 budget law, articles amending the Investment Code (in Portuguese) (opens in a new tab); Investment Code, Law 13/2011 of July 6, 2011 (in Portuguese) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
Land concessions
The investment guide says land belongs to the State, with perpetual concessions for urban plots and up to 90 years for rural land.
What to do: Have the concession terms confirmed at the land registry before you pay.
Source: GBI investment guide, 2021 (in Portuguese) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
6. How Promote:Global helps
- Compare Guinea-Bissau with other countriesSet Guinea-Bissau 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.
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Promote:Guinea-Bissau 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.