Investment property: Guinea-Bissau

Updated 6 October 2026

Guinea-Bissau's property market is small and concentrated in the capital Bissau and on the Bijagós archipelago, known for its UNESCO biosphere reserve.

The key point for a foreigner: under the 1998 land law all land belongs to the state. It can be used only under a government concession or authorisation, while a building on the plot can be privately owned. So a purchase means acquiring the building and the right to use the land, not owning the plot. The currency is the West African franc, pegged to the euro at 655.957 francs per euro, about 585 francs per dollar at the European Central Bank rate of 5 October 2026.

How land rights work

• Land belongs to the state. Individuals and companies receive use rights under a concession.
• Agricultural concessions are usually no more than 300 hectares. The Council of Ministers may authorise up to 1,500 hectares for cooperatives and companies, including foreign ones.
• Urban plots are granted for building and housing on the concession's terms.
• A building on the plot can belong to its owner and pass to the buyer together with the land use right.

What is checked before the deal

• the concession or land use authorisation, its term and conditions;
• the building's entry in the property register and absence of mortgages and seizures;
• consent of the granting authority if transferring the concession requires it;
• actual plot boundaries, which do not always match the documents;
• access to water, electricity and roads, especially on the islands.

How the purchase works

1. A tax number for the buyer and, if needed, a company for the project.
2. Checking documents on the concession and building.
3. A contract before a notary, who also works at the Business Formalisation Centre in Bissau.
4. Registration of the transfer in the property register and, if needed, re-registration of the concession.
5. A local bank account for expenses and rent.

Funds for the purchase

Payment from abroad goes through a local bank account under the Central Bank of West African States' foreign exchange rules, and all transfer documents are kept: they will be needed later to lawfully take sale proceeds or rental income outside the union. Cash payments without a bank trail cause problems at registration and on resale.

Tourism and island projects

On the Bijagós islands the biosphere reserve's conservation rules apply, so hotels and tourism projects need permits from the relevant agencies. Such a project is usually run through a local company: it is registered in 24 hours at the Business Formalisation Centre, and corporate income tax is 25%.

Risks

• A concession that has expired or whose conditions were not met.
• Several claimants to one plot, including under customary land use.
• Restrictions of protected nature areas on the islands.
• Low liquidity: few buyers for such properties.

What we do

We check the concession and building documents, establish the position of agencies and local communities, and support the notarial contract and registration with locally licensed partners. If the property is for tourism or business, we register a company and open an account.

What we do

• Property shortlist for your investment goal
• Legal due diligence on the property
• End-to-end transaction support
• Ownership structuring (company, trust)
• Property management and letting

See also

Business account · Personal account · All country programs

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