Marvel at the scale of Oyala: the new capital city rising out of the jungle.
No Equatoguinean government project has attracted more international attention than the construction of the new capital city at Oyala. Situated 125km east of Bata, straddling the boundary between Centro Sur and Wele-Nzas provinces, this new city in the jungle is set for completion by 2020, when it will dethrone Malabo as the nation’s seat of government.
It is hard to overstate how isolated this location is: there was literally nothing here only a few years ago, and huge swathes of jungle had to be cleared before work could even start. As you drive here on the brand new highway, there is an eerie feeling of isolation, as there is no phone signal, no traffic and no settlements by the road. President Obiang has cited security concerns as one of the reasons for needing to move the capital city inland. In this respect Oyala should deliver because access routes are extremely limited and should be easy to control.