Driving Permit for Equatorial Guinea

Equatorial Guinea drives on the right-hand side of the road, and foreign visitors are expected to carry an International Driving Permit alongside their original licence. Equatorial Guinea has not ratified either UN road-traffic convention, so the IDP has no treaty basis here — but the Canadian government's travel advice is explicit: as a traveller, you must carry an IDP — a local Equatorial Guinean licence is reserved for residents, who must renew it annually. Whether you pick up a rental car in Malabo or hire a car and driver in Bata, keep your passport, home licence, IDP and the vehicle's registration papers with you every time you drive.

The document rule matters more here than in most countries, because police and military roadblocks are a routine part of driving in Equatorial Guinea, particularly around Malabo and Bata. Officers may ask you to show your passport or vehicle documents and explain where you are travelling, and failure to comply can lead to detention. There are regular reports of officials at roadblocks soliciting bribes; the standard advice is to stay polite, present your paperwork, and request an official citation rather than paying anything on the spot.

Road conditions are better than many first-time visitors expect — most major roads on Bioko Island and the Rio Muni mainland are paved — but rural stretches can be poor, lighting is patchy, and local driving is often fast and aggressive. Avoid driving after dark, watch for pedestrians and livestock, and remember two hard local rules: drink-driving is treated as a serious offence, and after an accident you should not move your vehicle until the police arrive.