Ciudad de la Paz, Equatorial Guinea — President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo has signed a decree moving the national capital from Malabo to Ciudad de la Paz in Djibloho province, according to official statements released on 4 January 2026.
The order ends Malabo’s centuries-old status as the seat of government and gives all public bodies one year to complete the physical relocation to the mainland city that has been under construction since 2008. Presidential services, constitutional organs, ministries and state companies must now take “all necessary measures” to install themselves in the new site, official statements indicate.
Government communiqués say the shift is intended to correct a colonial-era anomaly that left the capital on the offshore island of Bioko while four-fifths of citizens live on the continental plateau.
Ciudad de la Paz is described as offering room for expansion, a more central position and easier protection of state institutions from external threats. Previous official comments have cited attempted maritime incursions against coastal cities as a security consideration.
Local reports note that the decision also aims to ease population pressure on Malabo and the economic hub Bata, both of which have absorbed steady rural migration.
By distributing infrastructure spending inland, authorities hope to spur development across the mainland provinces and reinforce what the decree terms “national unity and balanced growth. ” Construction of the new capital has been supervised for years by Vice-President Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, who regional officials confirm will oversee the phased transfer of staff and records.
Government buildings, residential quarters and a planned university campus already exist on the 13-hectare forest site, reducing the amount of fresh building needed before offices can open.
Equatorial Guinea, Africa’s only Spanish-speaking state, has been ruled by Obiang since 1979. Oil production since the mid-1990s provides most state revenue, although wealth distribution remains narrow.
Moving the capital places the presidency closer to the majority of the population and creates a purpose — built administrative centre akin to Nigeria’s Abuja or Brazil’s Brasília, models officials have previously referenced.
Independent observers say the relocation will test the government’s ability to fund large-scale moves while maintaining everyday services. Questions remain over housing availability for civil servants, transport links to coastal ports and the final cost of the operation.
Further details are expected when ministries publish individual transfer timetables in coming weeks.
*Additional reporting by ImNews | Sources consulted: 5*
