Equatorial Guinea Changes Its Capital

Equatorial Guinea is a small country in Central Africa. For many years, its capital city has been Malabo, which is located on an island called Bioko. However, the government has decided to move the capital to a new city on the mainland.

The new capital is called Ciudad de la Paz. It was previously known as Oyala. This city is located in the mainland part of the country, known as Río Muni. The new capital was announced in Januari 2026.

One reason for the move is geography. Most of Equatorial Guinea’s land area and population are on the mainland, not on the island where Malabo is located. By moving the capital, the government says it will be easier to manage the country and connect different regions.

Ciudad de la Paz is a planned city. This means it was designed in advance, with wide roads, government buildings, and space for future development. Many important government institutions have already started moving there, but Malabo is still used for some official purposes.

The change of capital is a gradual process. It takes many years to move ministries, offices, and workers. Because of this, some people still think of Malabo as the capital, even though the government has officially named Ciudad de la Paz as the new one.

“Ciudad de la Paz” means “the City of Peace” in Spanish. Equatorial Guinea is the only Spanish-speaking country in Africa.