Sao Tome and Principe Factsheet - Infrastructure, Connectivity, Roads
Infrastructure & Connectivity and Roads
Energy access
- Access: 60–70% of the population has electricity access (2024 est.); higher in urban areas (~95% in São Tomé city) but lower in rural Príncipe and remote São Tomé regions; reliability issues persist due to frequent outages from diesel dependency.
- Current mix: 90–95% diesel-based generation (100% imported fuel); ~5% renewables (primarily small-scale hydro); total installed capacity ~26 MW.
- Targets: 50% renewable energy penetration by 2030 (NREAP 2021); updated NDC (2025) aims for 49 MW renewable capacity (from 26 MW), with GHG reduction of 109 ktCO2eq by 2030.
- Key initiatives (2025): Site preparation for 20 MWp solar PV at Água Casada; 11 MWp solar + 8 MWh BESS lease (2026); Bombaim River hydro data system; National Solar Thermal Strategy/Action Plan validated April 2025 (UNIDO/UPM) for hot water/cooking; self-generation regulations (2026); decarbonization plan (Oct 2024) focuses on renewables, clean cooking, and transport modernization.
Transport (air, sea,)
Air: 2 airports – São Tomé International (main hub, runway extension >600m ongoing via 2023 public tender for modernization: ATC, cargo terminal, lighting); Príncipe Airport (smaller, domestic/regional). Served by TAAG Angola, STP Airways, Airlink; no major international carriers beyond Lisbon/Luanda.
Sea: 2 main ports – São Tomé (capital, handles most cargo/passengers); Santo António (Príncipe, smaller). No deep-water port (plans for Agulhas Bay on Príncipe stalled); irregular shipping via Dutch/Portuguese vessels to Gabon/Portugal/Netherlands; weekly ferries São Tomé–Príncipe (€20–30, 1–2 hrs, weather-dependent); managed by state, limited traffic due to shallow drafts.
Telecommunications and internet
- Providers: CST (state-owned, dominant with island-wide mobile/fiber backbone, rated best network 2024–2025); Unitel STP (private, 4G LTE since 2023 in urban/key areas); regulated by AGER (since 2005) promoting competition.
- Mobile: ~170,000 connections (93% broadband); 4G coverage good on São Tomé, 3G/2G on Príncipe; prepaid SIMs €5–15 (3–5GB data €10–15); eSIM available.
- Fixed broadband: Limited fiber (undersea cable since 2012); ~1,678 internet hosts.
- Internet: Penetration 61.5% (~149,000 users, +2% YoY); speeds 5–50 Mbps urban (free WiFi in hotels/cafés/airports); World Bank Digital STP Project (ongoing) modernizes telecom laws, cybersecurity, data protection.
- Challenges/Opportunities: High costs, rural gaps, climate risks (storms corrode equipment); liberalization boosts diversification; satellite options (e.g., Starlink pilots) for remote areas.
Roads in São Tomé and Príncipe
Total road network Approximately 320–340 km (198–211 miles)
Paved: ~68–70% (~218–230 km)
Unpaved: ~30–32% (mostly rural and plantation tracks)
The country has three primary national roads that serve as the backbone of the entire road system on São Tomé island (Príncipe has its own smaller network of ~40 km).
Road network on São Tomé is essentially a single ring-road with one north–south transversal).
1. EN-1 North (Estrada Nacional 1 – Northern Route)
Route: São Tomé city → Guadalupe → Neves → Santa Catarina → Roça Ponta Figo (north-west coast)
Length: ~55 km
Importance: Connects the capital to the main northern fishing towns, the airport zone, and the popular beaches of Lagoa Azul and Praia das Conchas.
Condition: Mostly paved, narrow but in relatively good state after recent World Bank rehabilitation.
2. EN-1 South (Estrada Nacional 1 – Southern Route)
Route: São Tomé city → Trindade → São João dos Angolares → Porto Alegre → Ribeira Afonso (Caué district)
Length: ~70 km
Importance: Serves the southern cocoa belt, Roça Água Izé (former largest plantation), Praia Jalé (whale-watching), Praia Inhame, and Ilhéu das Rolas.
Condition: Paved until São João dos Angolares; southernmost stretch (Porto Alegre–Ribeira Afonso) still partly gravel but progressively being paved (2024–2026.
3. EN-2 (Transversal / Mountain Road)
Route: São Tomé city → Trindade → Bombaim → Nova Moca → Lagoa Amélia → Monte Café → highest point at 1,110 m → continues south-west to Santa Catarina/Ilhéu Santana
Length: ~45 km
Importance: The only road crossing the interior highlands and the Obô Natural Park; links the east and west coasts through the rainforest; gives access to Roça Monte Café, Cascata São Nicolau, and the starting points for Pico de São Tomé climbs.
Condition: Fully paved but winding and narrow; frequent landslides during rainy season; ongoing rehabilitation (AfDB/World Bank funding).
Príncipe island
has its own regional road network (~40 km), with the main paved road running from Santo António (airport/port) to the southern beaches and Roça Sundy (Einstein eclipse site).