President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo has officially signed a decree designating the newly built Ciudad de la Paz as the capital of Equatorial Guinea, ending Malabo’s century-long tenure as the seat of power. The historic relocation from the island of Bioko to the deep tropical rainforest of the mainland marks the culmination of a multi-billion-dollar project aimed at shielding the government from seaborne threats and modernising the nation’s administrative core.
The decree, signed on January 2, 2026, at the presidential headquarters in the new city, mandates a one-year transition period for all state powers, constitutional bodies, and public enterprises to complete their move. While Malabo will remain the primary commercial hub, the official political life of Africa’s only Spanish-speaking nation will now centre on the province of Djibloho.
The government justified the move by citing critical security vulnerabilities inherent to Malabo’s geography. "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," stated the state-run Information and Press Office in an official announcement following the signing.
In the decree, President Obiang—the world's longest-serving head of state—emphasised that the central location of Ciudad de la Paz, which translates to "City of Peace", offers a "fortress of sovereignty" and a more balanced development path for the country. The president noted that the move is intended to "strengthen national unity" by placing the government in the heart of the mainland, where the majority of the population resides.
Logistical pressures also played a significant role in the decision. Both Malabo and the mainland port of Bata have faced "uncontrolled growth" that strained basic services and created severe urban congestion. The new capital, built from scratch on an 8,150-hectare site, is designed to house 200,000 residents and features a modern Parliament building, presidential villas, and a university.
"Ciudad de la Paz represents the ideal option for hosting the capital due to its strategic geographical location and its capacity for modern administrative infrastructure," the decree stated. The move is also intended to help the country "break free from outdated colonial-era infrastructure" that no longer aligns with the government’s vision for a modern state.
While the administrative shift is underway, the transition is expected to be complex. The decree does not yet require foreign embassies to relocate, and major financial institutions are likely to maintain their presence in Malabo for the foreseeable future. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Hydrocarbons are among the few agencies expected to retain significant operations in the former capital during the initial handover.
The government expects the full migration of the central administration to be finalised by early 2027.
