Ciudad de la Paz officially became the new capital of Equatorial Guinea on 2 January 2026, replacing Malabo as the seat of government. The change was formalised by a decree issued by President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, who has held power since 1979.
The relocation was part of a long-planned territorial reorganisation initiated in 2008, with construction of the new capital beginning in 2011. Government institutions, including presidential services, state powers, constitutional bodies, and public enterprises, were required to relocate to Ciudad de la Paz within one year.
The city, located in Djibloho Province on the mainland, was designed by the Portuguese firm IDF – Ideias do Futuro to accommodate 160,000 to 200,000 people across 81.5 square kilometres. It was conceived as a planned urban centre integrating natural features with an orthogonal road network, aiming to decentralise state functions and reduce demographic pressure on Malabo and Bata.