Pope Leo XIV arrived Tuesday in Equatorial Guinea, where a nation blessed with substantial oil revenues has nonetheless failed to lift more than half its nearly 2 million citizens out of poverty—a stark illustration of how resource wealth without sound governance and institutional accountability can leave populations behind.
The former Spanish colony on Africa's western coast is led by President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, 83, who has held power for 47 years since 1979. The discovery of offshore oil about 30 years ago in the mid-1990s transformed Equatorial Guinea's economy virtually overnight, with oil now accounting for almost half of its GDP and more than 90% of exports, according to the African Development Bank. Yet the economic transformation has not translated into broad-based prosperity.
Resource Wealth Without Prosperity
Rights groups including Human Rights Watch, as well as court cases in France and Spain, have documented how revenues have enriched the ruling Obiang family rather than the broader population. The disconnect between national wealth and individual economic outcomes presents a case study in how natural resource abundance requires transparent institutions and rule of law to benefit citizens.
Equatorial Guinea has consistently ranked among the bottom 10 countries in Transparency International's annual corruption perception index, though the government has in recent years taken some steps to improve the situation, said Transparency International's regional advisor for Africa, Samuel Kaninda. He said the government passed an anti-corruption law and is working to fund an anti-corruption commission, but the commission must be truly independent to investigate and the judiciary must be independent as well.
Papal Message on Governance
Leo has shown he won't mince words on this maiden African journey as pope, and the church's teaching on the scourge of social inequity and corruption is clear. Upon arriving in Yaounde, Cameroon last week, Leo met with President Paul Biya, at 93 the world's oldest leader who has been in power for 44 years since 1982. Leo said in his arrival speech in the presidential palace: "In order for peace and justice to prevail, the chains of corruption — which disfigure authority and strip it of its credibility — must be broken," and "Hearts must be set free from an idolatrous thirst for profit."
The government faces rampant accusations of harassment, arrest and intimidation of political opponents, critics and journalists. In addition to official corruption, these restrictions on civil liberties and free expression limit the accountability mechanisms that typically constrain government overreach in functioning democracies.
Church's Delicate Position
Equatorial Guinea is officially a secular country, but the Catholic Church is at the center of its political and social systems. With about 75% of its population Catholic, it is one of the most Catholic countries in Africa. Church leaders "are very much interconnected intrinsically with the government," said Tutu Alicante, a U.S.-based activist who runs the EG Justice rights group. "Part of it is the fear the government has instilled in everyone, including the church, and part of it is the monetary gains that the church derives from this government."
The Rev. Fortunatus Nwachukwu, No. 2 in the Vatican's missionary evangelization office, said the Catholic Church is present in difficult civil spaces and knows how to operate in them to carry out its mission. "Should the church go to war against the government? Surely no," Nwatchukwu said. "Should the church swallow everything as if it were normal? No. The church has to continue preaching justice, always in defense of life, human dignity and the common good."
Kaninda said he hoped the pope's visit would draw attention to such shortcomings and give the people of Equatorial Guinea hope. He said, "The risk is there, but at the same time, we see more of the opportunity to shed more light on a lot more that is happening there."
Papal Schedule
The first papal visit since St. John Paul II came 44 years ago in 1982 is giving seamstress Tumi Carine lots of business, as she makes dresses with fabric stamped with Leo's image. Carine said, "The coming of the pope brought us many customers," and "We are really grateful for the coming of the pope, so, we are really happy."
Leo has a packed schedule in Equatorial Guinea. He arrives and meets with Obiang and then delivers two sets of remarks: a speech to government authorities and diplomats, and then another speech at the national university. In addition to celebrating Masses, he will visit a psychiatric hospital and a prison and will meet with young people and their families. Before leaving Thursday, he will pray at a memorial to victims of a 2021 blast at a military barracks in Bata that killed more than 100 people in the fifth year since the blast. The explosions were blamed on the negligent handling of dynamite in a barracks close to residential areas.
Why This Matters:
Equatorial Guinea's experience demonstrates how natural resource wealth alone cannot guarantee prosperity without institutional frameworks that ensure transparent revenue management and protect property rights. The nation's oil revenues represent a substantial fiscal base that, properly channeled through accountable governance structures, could fund infrastructure, education, and economic development. Instead, the concentration of wealth among ruling elites while half the population remains in poverty illustrates the critical importance of rule of law and independent institutions in converting resource endowments into broad-based economic opportunity. The papal visit draws international attention to governance challenges that affect investor confidence and long-term economic stability in resource-rich developing nations.