Overview
Guinea-Bissau is a nation with a wealth of untapped natural resources on the northern Atlantic coast of West Africa. It shares a border with Senegal to the north and Guinea to the east. With a median age of 18.8 years, the population of about 2 million is a little under Africa’s average of 19.7 years.
One might have heard about the nation in the news for mostly negative reasons surrounding political instability, corruption, and drug trafficking. These issues have existed for a while, but the relative stability of Guinea-Bissau’s government in recent years has encouraged government an increase in private sector investment and the development of projects to improve the country’s infrastructure.
Guinea-Bissau is benefiting from the expertise and developmental support of organisations such as UNDP, UNICEF and The Global Fund. Digital technologies are at the heart of a number of current government and NGO-led development projects. Guinea-Bissau is well-positioned to serve as a test bed for eHealth and FinTech solutions intended for West African and Sub-Saharan nations.
For private companies and investors aiming to enter the region, Guinea-Bissau’s small population and underdeveloped economy may present challenges; however, the country’s strategic location on the West African coast and its abundant natural resources offer potential opportunities for growth and investment.
Due to the nation’s infrastructure and cultural resemblances to its larger neighbours, digital projects requiring smaller investment can be implemented quickly and lead to faster, measurable outcomes.
The adoption of these digital solutions increased dramatically during and after COVID, indicating that Guinea-Bissau’s government and people support them. If eHealth initiatives can provide solutions to fundamental healthcare issues in Guinea-Bissau, they could be scaled and adopted in other Sub-Saharan African nations. When compared to larger nations in the region, such digital initiatives could present a lower financial risk to investors and the private sector.
Our brief report explores Guinea-Bissau’s potential for eHealth solutions and the nation’s readiness to adopt them through partnerships.
