Equatorial Guinea

Value-added tax (VAT)

VAT is an indirect tax on consumption based on turnover.

All operations performed in Equatorial Guinea are subject to VAT unless they are included in the list of exemptions provided by the EG Tax Code or a specific tax regime.

VAT is generally chargeable on the following:

• Goods sold or assigned for valuable consideration.
• Services provided.
• Self-consumed goods and services.
• Imports.
• Other operations carried on by individuals or legal entities in their sphere of business, professional, and individual activities, including extraction activities.

The standard VAT rate is 15%.

A rate of 0% is applicable to a specific list of products and equipment provided in the Tax Code (e.g. certain medical products, some equipment for construction).

A reduced rate of 5% is applicable to a limited list of basic consumables and books.

Taxpayers may request from the tax authorities a VAT refund under certain conditions provided by the EG New Tax Law. 

Consumption taxes

• Tax on consumption of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages:
  • Alcoholic: A proportional tax of 30% increased by 75 Central African CFA francs (XAF) per degree of alcohol per litre. For beer, this rate is increased by XAF 200 per litre.
  • Non-alcoholic: A proportional tax of 30%, increased by:

• XAF 50 per litre for drinks with added sugar and syrup.
• XAF 100 per litre for energy drinks.
• XAF 30 per litre for all other non-alcoholic drinks.

• Tax on consumption of cigarettes: A proportional tax of 30%, increased by:

• XAF 10,000 per kilogram of cut tobacco, shisha, or similar.
• XAF 15,000 per 1,000 units of cigarettes and electronic cigarettes.
• XAF 15,000 per 100 units of cigars.

• Tax on automobiles:

• From 0 to 150 hp: XAF 50/hp.
• From 151 to 300 hp: XAF 150/hp
• Plus 300 hp: XAF 200/hp.

Customs duties

The customs duties are based on the categories of goods as follows:

• Category I: Primary necessity goods: 5%.
• Category II: Raw material and materials: 10%.
• Category III: Intermediary goods and miscellaneous: 20%.
• Category IV: Current consumption goods: 30%.

Excise taxes

Excise taxes are applicable on specific goods, such as alcoholic drinks and tobacco. The New EG Tax Code provides a single rate of 30% applicable to products subject to excise taxes.

Real property tax

A 0.5% urban property tax applies annually to 30% of the value of the land and the buildings on such land. Urban property is defined by the Tax Code as “any land with or without buildings and the buildings built thereon, whenever located in urban areas”.

Transfer tax

For the transfer of goods between residents and non-residents, and between non-residents, there is a 10% tax on the value of the goods.

Real estate transfers between residents are taxed at the rate of 5% on the value of the real estate. The rate increases to 20% on real estate transfers between residents and non-residents, and between non-residents.

Stamp duties

Stamp duties are payable on a variety of instruments and transactions and vary depending on the concerned legal act.

Registration tax of 0.5% on the contract value is applied to contracts signed with public and private entities.

Payroll taxes

The personal income tax (PIT) liability is withheld from the employee’s salary and declared and paid by the employer.

The tax tables applicable to individuals are provided in the Taxes on personal income section of Equatorial Guinea’s Individual tax summary.

Social security contributions

Employers contribute 1% of gross salary to the Work Protection Fund (Fondo de Protección al Trabajo in Spanish) and 21.5% to the National Institute of Social Security (INSESO for its Spanish acronym) on a monthly basis.

Employees contribute 0.5% of net salary to the Work Protection Fund and 4.5% to the INSESO on a monthly basis.

Both of these contributions are declared and paid by the company.

Tourism tax

Tourism tax is not applicable for the fiscal year 2025.

Tax on telecommunications

There is a 10% tax on income obtained in Equatorial Guinea by entities or individuals providing telecommunications services.

Tax on plastic bags

There is a tax of XAF 15 per plastic bag.