Equatorial Guinea rejects coup report and demands retraction from Jeune Afrique

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Government disputes report of an alleged destabilisation plot, defends the capacity of national institutions and says it may take legal action

LAGOS — Equatorial Guinea’s government has categorically rejected a report by the French magazine Jeune Afrique about an alleged coup attempt, describing the claims as unsubstantiated and damaging to the country’s political and institutional reputation.

In a statement issued on September 4, 2026, the government said national institutions remained fully operational and possessed the constitutional and legal mechanisms required to defend the country’s sovereignty, preserve public order and protect the population.

According to media reports citing the Jeune Afrique investigation, Equatorial Guinean authorities allegedly disrupted a destabilisation operation after discovering a container carrying weapons at the port of Bata. The operation was said to have begun in late June after Russian intelligence services alerted Malabo to the shipment’s arrival. The magazine also reportedly linked Equatorial Guinean citizens, political organisations, companies and foreign actors to the alleged plot.

The government disputes both the substance of the allegations and the manner in which they were presented. It accused Jeune Afrique of relying on anonymous sources and portraying suspicions as established facts without providing “objective, verifiable and sufficient evidence”.

Malabo said accusations of such gravity should be supported by documents, attributable testimony or other material that could be independently verified. Citizens, companies, governments or international institutions should not be associated with an operation against the constitutional order solely on the basis of unidentified sources, it added.

The authorities demanded an “immediate, public, explicit and clear” correction, with prominence equivalent to that given to the original report. The government also warned that it could pursue legal action against those responsible for the publication and organisations that subsequently reproduce the disputed allegations.

The threat of litigation raises the possibility that the disagreement could develop into a legal dispute involving institutional reputation, editorial responsibility and press freedom. The government said any proceedings would be conducted under national law and would seek to protect the country’s sovereignty and the credibility of its institutions.

No public response from Jeune Afrique to the demand for a retraction had been identified by the time of publication. There is also insufficient independently verified information to confirm the alleged discovery of weapons, any related arrests or the existence of a security operation connected to the reported plot.

The dispute comes at a sensitive moment for Equatorial Guinea, which has been governed by President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo since 1979. In June, the government led by Prime Minister Manuel Osa Nsue Nsua resigned collectively after achieving only 10 per cent of its stated objectives, according to Vice-President Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue. The resignation paved the way for a government reorganisation, although it was not expected to alter the country’s centralised power structure significantly.

Perceptions of stability also carry considerable economic importance. Equatorial Guinea remains heavily dependent on oil and gas revenues while confronting declining hydrocarbon production and persistent difficulties in diversifying its economy. The International Monetary Fund estimated that gross domestic product contracted by 6.4 per cent in 2025, largely because hydrocarbon output fell by 16.8 per cent.

Against that backdrop, reports of political instability can affect perceptions of sovereign risk, investment decisions and relations with international partners. The dispute underscores both the media’s responsibility to substantiate serious allegations and the obligation of public authorities to provide transparent and verifiable information.

The government concluded its statement by reaffirming its commitment to peace, stability and national development.