Equatorial Guinea president affirms relocation of capital city

Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo is the President of Equatorial Guinean
Obiang Nguema Mbasogo is the President of Equatorial Guinea

MALABO, Jan 6 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Equatorial Guinea President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo has affirmed the relocation of the capital city from Malabo, located on Bioko Island, to the mainland city of Ciudad de la Paz [City of Peace] in Djibloho Province, according to the state-run Information and Press Office of Equatorial Guinea.

Obiang signed the decree on the relocation plan on Friday, January 2, 2026, during a ceremony attended by top government officials.

Ciudad de la Paz, which means “City of Peace,” aims to improve accessibility and address logistical and security issues associated with island-based Malabo.

“The relocation of the nation’s capital, from a security standpoint, is a crucial step, given that the government has been the victim of several attacks originating from abroad via maritime routes,” the Information and Press Office said in a statement.

The relocation also allows the Central African country to break with outdated colonial-era structures that no longer contribute to its modernisation, the statement added.

According to local media, it will take one year to transfer all administrative services to the new capital. — NNN-AGENCIES