Consumer protection in Guinea-Bissau

Guinea-Bissau has no evidenced modern national consumer law, general consumer ombudsman, unified complaints portal or comprehensive catalogue of consumer rights. The Código Civil can provide a contractual basis, and public-health rules apply to food and health risks, but suppliers' conditions and sector-specific rules often determine the practical result. No general national rule has been established for withdrawal periods, warranties, refunds, mandatory receipts, standard consumer contracts, transparent clauses or collective consumer lawsuits. European Union or Portuguese consumer rules should not be assumed to apply automatically. A practical complaint starts with a written request to the supplier or service provider. Keep the contract, invoice or payment proof, photographs, screenshots, serial or batch numbers and all replies. If the supplier does not resolve the matter, use the authority for the relevant sector or contact ACOBES, a civil-society consumer association that can collect complaints, support mediation and create public pressure. ACOBES cannot issue a binding administrative decision. Civil or criminal proceedings may be available through the Tribunais de Bairro or Regional courts, the Ministério Público or the police, depending on the facts. ANC-GB has been under institutional development since 2022, but no general consumer-remedy path through it is evidenced. The Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Tourism and Handicrafts and IGCAMDR, the inspection body for commerce, industry, handicrafts, consumer safety and food, are relevant for defective or unsafe goods, expired food, misleading origin information, price problems and supply concerns. Guinea-Bissau has no evidenced standard return or refund period for ordinary purchases. Food controls also involve the Ministério da Saúde and Ministério da Agricultura under Decree No. 62-E/92. A unified recall, refund or compensation procedure for unsafe health products or food has not been established in the available evidence. Pharmaceutical matters can be directed to the Ministério da Saúde Pública, Serviços Farmacêuticos or DIFARLM, and the national essential-medicines list can help identify covered medicines. Telecommunications complaints fall mainly within ARN, the communications regulator responsible for user interests, tariffs, service quality, complaints and dispute resolution. Digital purchases have no evidenced dedicated e-commerce consumer law or comprehensive data-protection framework, so the provider's terms, the available telecom rules, contract law and proof of the transaction remain significant. For electricity and water, EAGB handles the supply relationship. Billing, prepaid meters, interruptions and service quality can be raised with EAGB, the Ministry of Energy or ACOBES, but no independent utility ombudsman, uniform complaint deadline or general fee schedule is evidenced. Financial services are more formally regulated through UMOA rules. Banks, decentralized financial systems known as SFDs, electronic-money institutions and payment providers should provide an internal complaint process. Under Circulaire 002-2020/CB/C, a bank or SFD complaint has a maximum response period of one month, while payment-service providers have a maximum response period of seven working days. Unresolved banking or SFD complaints can be escalated to the Commission Bancaire de l'UMOA or a national mediation channel where available; a local OQSF equivalent is not evidenced. Errors in BIC information should be reported to the BIC or the relevant bank or SFD. The costs of escalation are not clearly established. For air-passenger matters, AACGB provides passenger assistance, advance rights information, a list of certified companies and complaint forms. Local rules on delays, cancellations, baggage, refunds and package travel are not consolidated in the available evidence. Fraud reports may concern counterfeit products, unsafe or expired food, false origin claims, overcharging, telecom tariffs or payment fraud. Report the matter to IGCAMDR or the responsible ministry, ARN, AACGB, the financial supervisors, the police or the Ministério Público according to the sector and conduct involved. Portuguese is the main language of administration and legal procedures. Public institutions are concentrated in Bissau, and written complaints, supporting evidence and digital access can be difficult in regional or rural areas. Guinea-Bissau has no reliable national matrix of consumer fees and deadlines; outside the financial sector, handling times usually depend on the authority, provider and case. Court and administrative duration is not consolidated. These limits make dated evidence, a clear written demand and the correct sector channel central to effective consumer protection.