Sao Tome and Principe

Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe

Portuguese Sao Tomean Dobra (STN) Portuguese civil law
AU, AfCFTA, CPLP, WTO
Sao Tome and Principe is one of Africa's smallest nations (population ~220,000), a two-island country in the Gulf of Guinea. The economy depends on cocoa production (historically the primary export), tourism, fishing, and international aid. Offshore oil and gas potential in the Joint Development Zone (shared with Nigeria) has attracted exploration interest but commercial production has not yet materialized. The country has improved democratic governance with regular peaceful elections. Challenges include extreme small market size, isolation, import dependence, and limited infrastructure. Tourism development centered on eco-tourism and cultural heritage offers growth potential.
Snapshot Focus Sectors Regulations & Taxes Businesses (2) People

Snapshot

Population~0.2 MWorld Bank WDI
GDP (current USD)$1.0 BIMF WEO
GDP per Capita$2,500IMF WEO
GDP Growth3.00%IMF WEO
Inflation (y/y)~15.00%Central Bank / IMF
Internet Use~35.00%World Bank WDI
Electrification~76.00%World Bank WDI
CPI Score (Rank)44.0/100 (#67)Transparency Intl
HDI (Rank)0.618 (#138)UNDP HDR

Focus Sectors

Agriculture (cocoa)
Tourism
Fishing
Oil & Gas (potential)
Construction
Telecoms

Regulations & Taxes

Corporate Income Tax25% standard
VAT / Sales Tax15% standard

Business Directory (2)

View All
BI

BISTP

Corporate

Banking Sao Tome

Sao TomeCorporate
CS

CST Telecomunicacoes

Corporate

Sao Tome telecom provider

Sao TomeCorporate

Tenders

View All

Supply Installation and Related Services for 1,000 LED Streetlights for the Water and Electricity Company (EMAE) Sao Tome and Principe

EMAE - Empresa de Agua e Electricidade Sao Tome and Principe

Design supply and installation of integrated solar energy and cold chain infrastructure in the Autonomous Region of Príncipe,

World Bank-financed: Access to Clean Resilient Electricity under the ASCENT Regional Program - Multi Programmatic Approac

Contratação de Gabinete/Empresa para Fiscalização da Obra de Construção, Reabilitação de Casas de Banho e melhorias da infraestrutura da Escola Patrice Lumumba em ST/STP

World Bank-financed: Girls Empowerment and Quality Education for All Project

A.T Especializada em Infra-estruturas Tecnológicas, Gestão de Recursos e Capacitação para Implementação do Sistema Integrado de Gestão Escolar (SIGE)

World Bank-financed: Girls Empowerment and Quality Education for All Project

Data Notes: Population, GDP, and GDP per capita are latest IMF WEO / World Bank estimates. Inflation is year-over-year. Trade data from UN Comtrade/OEC (2023). Tax rates from PwC/KPMG country guides. CPI from Transparency International. HDI from UNDP Human Development Report.
Narrative last updated: April 8, 2026.