Equatorial Guinea government resigns over not meeting performance targets

Equatorial Guinea’s Vice-President, Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, has announced the resignation of the country’s federal executive council after it reportedly failed to meet key government performance targets.

Mangue, who is also the son of President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, disclosed the development in a post on X on Tuesday, saying the outgoing cabinet achieved only a small fraction of its objectives.

According to him, “The rule is simple: public responsibility has to come with results.” He added that the government had been provided with substantial resources to address the needs of citizens but failed to deliver adequately.

“The state puts significant human, material and financial resources at the disposal of the government to address the needs of the population. So the degree of execution achieved is clearly insufficient in relation to the expectations and commitments undertaken,” he said.

Mangue stated that the cabinet had achieved “barely 10 percent” of its assigned goals, although he did not specify the exact targets that were missed. President Mbasogo, who has ruled Equatorial Guinea since 1979 and is regarded as the world’s longest-serving leader, appointed the outgoing administration in 2024.

The government was led by Prime Minister Manuel Osa Nsue Nsua, a former head of the National Bank of Equatorial Guinea, who was tasked with implementing economic reforms aimed at improving living conditions and supporting the country’s poorest citizens.

However, nearly two years later, Equatorial Guinea continues to face economic challenges, including declining oil production, reduced investment and the impact of external economic pressures. The country’s economy remains heavily dependent on the petroleum sector, with oil and gas accounting for the majority of government revenue and export earnings.

In a statement, the ruling Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea (PDGE) said President Mbasogo was dissatisfied with the performance of the outgoing government. According to the party, the president criticised the administration for failing to implement policies aimed at diversifying the economy, particularly in the agricultural sector.

The government was also faulted for not doing enough to reduce the country’s dependence on imported goods that could be produced locally. A new cabinet is expected to be appointed in the coming days as the government seeks to revive economic reforms and improve policy implementation.