Equatorial Guinea is a Central African country comprising the Rio Muni mainland and 5 volcanic offshore islands. Capital Malabo, on Bioko Island, has Spanish colonial architecture and is a hub for the country’s prosperous oil industry.
Pre-independence Equatorial Guinea counted on cocoa production for hard currency earnings. In 1959 it had the highest per capita income of Africa which it still has, after several decades as one of the poorest countries in the world.
The discovery of large oil reserves in 1996 and their subsequent exploitation have contributed to a dramatic increase in government revenue. As of 2004, Equatorial Guinea was the third-largest oil producer in Sub-Saharan Africa. Its oil production had then risen to 360,000 barrels per day (57,000 m3/d), up from 220,000 barrels per day (35,000 m3/d) only two years earlier.
Forestry, farming, and fishing are also major components of GDP. Subsistence farming predominates. Although pre-independence Equatorial Guinea counted on cocoa production for hard currency earnings, the neglect of the rural economy under successive regimes has diminished potential for agriculture-led growth. However, the government has stated its intention to reinvest some oil revenue into agriculture.
At the top of legal system is the country’s 1991 Constitution (amended in 2005), also known as the Fundamental Law of Equatorial Guinea. Ranked at the top of the judicial system is the Supreme Court. In descending rank are the Appeals Courts (Provincial Courts), first instance courts, and the labor courts. Tribal laws and customs are honored in the formal court system when not in conflict with national law. The court system, which often uses customary law, is a combination of traditional, civil, and military justice.
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Director, Head of Civil & OHADA law
Specialised in international business law in Africa, Abdoul Mtoka is a key advisor in civil law jurisdictions with an in-depth expertise in OHADA law. For a decade, he has been involved in several complex transactions and matters in Africa for major international players.
Africase Attorneys is an international business law firm specialising in cross-border transactions, litigation, and arbitration across Africa. For decades, our international advocates developed an in-depth understanding of Africa and are working in the major capitals of Africa. We provide first-class and innovative legal solutions in Africa to our international clients including international corporations, NGOs, public institutions and States, international organisations, as well as local clients for their international transactions or interactions with foreign persons and entities. Along with an in-depth knowledge of Africa and its cultures, Africase Attorneys offer innovative, timely and efficient legal solutions specifically tailored to meet our international clients’ requirements and deadlines for their operations within the continent.