The government of Equatorial Guinea has resigned after failing to meet key performance targets, with Vice-President Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue revealing that the cabinet achieved “barely 10 per cent” of its assigned objectives.
Mangue, who is also the son of President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, announced the resignation in a post on X on Tuesday, describing the government’s performance as far below expectations.
“The rule is simple: public responsibility has to come with results,” the vice-president said.
“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.”
Although Mangue did not disclose the specific targets the administration failed to meet, the announcement came amid mounting economic challenges in the oil-dependent Central African nation.
President Mbasogo, who has ruled Equatorial Guinea since 1979 and is regarded as the world’s longest-serving head of state, appointed the outgoing cabinet in 2024 with Prime Minister Manuel Osa Nsue Nsua at its helm.
Nsua, a former governor of the National Bank of Equatorial Guinea, was tasked with driving economic reforms aimed at improving the living conditions of the country’s poorest citizens. However, two years into the administration, the country’s economy has continued to struggle, weighed down by declining oil production, reduced investment and external economic shocks.
Oil and gas remain the backbone of Equatorial Guinea’s economy, accounting for the bulk of government revenue and exports, leaving the country vulnerable to fluctuations in the global energy market.
In a separate statement, the ruling Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea (PDGE) said President Mbasogo was dissatisfied with the outgoing government’s performance.
According to the party, the president faulted the cabinet for failing to implement policies that would diversify the economy, particularly in the agricultural sector, which he believes could reduce the country’s dependence on imported goods that can be produced locally.
A new government is expected to be appointed as authorities seek to revive the economy and accelerate reforms.
