Sao tome and principe Country Commercial Guide
Learn about the market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business conditions in sao tome and principe, prepared by at U.S. Embassies worldwide by Commerce Department, State Department and other U.S. agencies’ professionals
Select Country Guide
Market Opportunities
Last published date:

After several false starts, STP may finally join the ranks of oil producing countries in the medium term. U.S. Company Kosmos Energy carried out seismic surveys of the economic exclusive zone (EEZ) offshore blocks in 2016, and in 2018, BP joined Kosmos in acquiring rights to two additional blocks. Kosmos may drill its first exploratory well in coming years; even if successful, the company does not expect to be producing oil until for at least another five years. In 2019, in partnership with Angolan Sonangol, the French Total Petroleum also acquired a 55 percent interest in oil block 1 located in the STP EZZ. In April 2022, the Royal Dutch Shell and Galp Energy began drilling preparations within its block.  

The Millennium Challenge Account (MCC)-driven reforms of the business climate and tax and customs regimes have increased the attractiveness of STP as an investment destination.

Tourism is one of the island nation’s most promising sectors, with the potential for attracting foreign investment.

In May 2021, the government modernized its payment system with the introduction of payment platforms for VISA and MasterCards. This may create opportunities in other economics sectors.

The liberalization of the telecommunications market and the power sector may provide opportunities for investment.

STP has a 160.000 km2 EEZ not only rich in oil but also fish resources. Considering this potential, in early 2018, STP announced a plan to construct a fishing port maximize the potential of country´s fishing resources. The Government also seeks to take advantage of STP’s geostrategic location to attract investment for the development of a deep-water port to facilitate the connection to Central Africa and to the world. The extension and modernization of the international airport is also on the Government agenda.

Despite recent declines in agriculture sector, with support of international buyers, a number of small cooperatives have successfully developed in upscale niche market for organic cocoa, pepper, coffee and vanilla, demonstrating the private sector’s drive to organize itself and attract investment. There is also a growing palm oil produce industry.

×

Global Business Navigator Chatbot Beta

Welcome to the Global Business Navigator, an artificial intelligence (AI) Chatbot from the International Trade Administration (ITA). This tool, currently in beta version testing, is designed to provide general information on the exporting process and the resources available to assist new and experienced U.S. exporters. The Chatbot, developed using Microsoft’s Azure AI services, is trained on ITA’s export-related content and aims to quickly get users the information they need. The Chatbot is intended to make the benefits of exporting more accessible by understanding non-expert language, idiomatic expressions, and foreign languages.

Limitations

As a beta product, the Chatbot is currently being tested and its responses may occasionally produce inaccurate or incomplete information. The Chatbot is trained to decline out of scope or inappropriate requests. The Chatbot’s knowledge is limited to the public information on the Export Solutions web pages of Trade.gov, which covers a wide range of topics on exporting. While it cannot provide responses specific to a company’s product or a specific foreign market, its reference pages will guide you to other relevant government resources and market research. Always double-check the Chatbot’s responses using the provided references or by visiting the Export Solutions web pages on Trade.gov. Do not use its responses as legal or professional advice. Inaccurate advice from the Chatbot would not be a defense to violating any export rules or regulations.

Privacy

The Chatbot does not collect information about users and does not use the contents of users’ chat history to learn new information. All feedback is anonymous. Please do not enter personally identifiable information (PII), sensitive, or proprietary information into the Chatbot. Your conversations will not be connected to other interactions or accounts with ITA. Conversations with the Chatbot may be reviewed to help ITA improve the tool and address harmful, illegal, or otherwise inappropriate questions.

Translation

The Chatbot supports a wide range of languages. Because the Chatbot is trained in English and responses are translated, you should verify the translation. For example, the Chatbot may have difficulty with acronyms, abbreviations, and nuances in a language other than English.

Privacy Program | Information Quality Guidelines | Accessibility