Lisbon, June 24, 2026 (Lusa) - The fleet of 21 buses donated by Porto city council to Guinea-Bissau is damaged and out of service, the Guinean government has revealed, adding that it has dismissed the private companies responsible for their management and operation.
The announcement was made on the official website of Guinea-Bissau’s Ministry of Transport and Communications on Tuesday, in a statement which reads that “a large proportion of the buses are currently damaged” and that “there are outstanding debts to staff, suppliers and others”.
This situation comes just over half a year after five of the 21 buses began operating as part of a pilot project to improve the mobility of the population. Of the five vehicles, only three are operational, whilst the rest never actually entered service.
The Guinea-Bissau online publication TV o País released a video on Wednesday showing the buses parked in an open field, stripped bare, without wheels and with broken windows.
The 21 vehicles were donated by the Sociedade de Transportes Coletivos do Porto (STCP) to Guinea-Bissau under a memorandum of understanding signed with Porto city council in Portugal in 2024.
In February 2025, the buses were shipped from the Port of Leixões and, in November 2025, a pilot project was launched in Bissau, with five buses operating in the capital.
The Government of Guinea-Bissau handed over the management and operation of the fleet to the private companies GULF TRANSPORT and PRIME INVESTMENT.
On Tuesday, the Ministry of Transport and Communications took over the management of the buses “on an interim basis” and explained that “various irregularities and management failures” had been identified on the part of the private companies.
According to the Ministry, “no agreement was ever signed with the companies, as their operations were only taking place during a trial period”.
The report, which quotes Vladmir da Silva, the government representative who has taken over the interim management of the fleet, reveals the current state of disrepair of the vehicles and alleged debts on the part of the companies that held the concession.
“In light of this situation, the Government has decided to resume direct management of its assets, with the aim of ensuring a more efficient use of public resources and providing better services to the population,” he adds.
The state of the service is described as “difficult”, but the representative of the Ministry of Transport assures that “the Government is committed to finding solutions to the problems identified”.
The new official emphasises “the commitment to restoring the proper functioning of the buses and improving the quality of the service provided to citizens”.
“The Government thus reaffirms its determination to protect public assets and promote responsible and transparent management of state resources,” he concludes.
*** The Lusa news agency’s bureau in Guinea-Bissau has been suspended since August following the Government’s expulsion of representatives from the Portuguese media. Coverage is being provided remotely ***
HFI/AYLS // AYLS
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