Published on and written by Cyril Jarnias
Moving to Cape Verde to work, start a business, or telecommute is about more than just finding an oceanfront place to live. In this archipelago, where local culture, a small market, and a strong diaspora shape opportunities, almost everything depends on networking. Therefore, understanding how to build professional connections in Cape Verde is a central challenge for any expatriate who wants to establish themselves there long-term.
Cape Verde’s economy is dominated by services and tourism, with promising emerging sectors like renewable energy, digital technology, and the blue economy. The country benefits from political stability, an open society, and a vibrant culture. However, one must contend with sometimes slow processes, demanding bureaucracy, and limited market size. In this context, building a strong network, both locally and within the diaspora, is an essential strategic lever.
Understanding the Cape Verdean Professional Ecosystem
Arriving in Cape Verde with purely “Western” reflexes – efficiency, speed, contracts before relationships – is the surest way to fail in your first few months. The business culture is deeply marked by a blend of African and Portuguese influences, with a key principle: relationships take precedence over transactions.
The concept of morabeza illustrates this mindset well. It encompasses warm hospitality, the art of welcoming well, and a relaxed way of being together. Traditional cooperation, known as Djunta-mon – literally “joining hands” – refers to the idea that the success of an enterprise depends on trust and mutual aid. For an expatriate, this means that building a network is not a side project to their professional endeavor but its core.
Cape Verde’s economy is heavily dependent on tourism (over 25% of GDP), services, fishing, and agriculture. An essential pillar relies on the vast network of its diaspora, whose remittances are crucial. Many Cape Verdeans residing abroad, particularly in Europe and the United States, maintain close ties with the country. To effectively integrate into this ecosystem, it is crucial to learn how to navigate simultaneously within the local economic fabric and these influential diasporic connections.
The pace of business is generally slower than in many European countries. Administrative procedures are described as complex, even “Byzantine,” with frequent delays. Having a good network – lawyers, accountants, entrepreneurs, civil servants, community leaders – often helps in better understanding procedures, avoiding dead ends, and sometimes speeding up certain steps without breaking the rules.
Language, Communication, and First Contacts: Laying the Foundation
In Cape Verde, Portuguese is the official language, omnipresent in administration, justice, education, and contracts. Cape Verdean Creole (Kriolu) is the most spoken language in daily life and carries significant weight in informal interactions. English and French are present, especially in tourist areas (Sal, Boa Vista, Praia, Mindelo) and among more educated professionals, but proficiency varies widely.
For an expatriate, not speaking Portuguese or Creole severely complicates daily life and business. Portuguese is mandatory for contracts (the legally binding version) and official technical studies. In some international setups, English may also be required, with its translation taking priority in case of discrepancy.
Investing in learning Portuguese, even to a functional level, therefore provides a clear advantage for establishing trust, understanding nuances during meetings, communicating with local teams, and navigating administrations. A level equivalent to A2 (elementary) – typically achieved in 150 to 180 hours of study – already allows for simple conversations, informal meetings, and following discussions with minimal effort. Furthermore, language proficiency is taken into account in some residency or citizenship processes.
In many cultures, professional communication begins with informal exchanges about family, soccer, or the weather. These moments, far from being a waste of time, are essential for building a relationship of trust. Avoiding direct confrontation and showing sincere interest in the local culture, especially through listening and observing non-verbal signals, strengthens credibility and facilitates access to professional opportunities.
For expatriates, coworking spaces and innovation hubs are probably the most powerful tool for quickly starting a network in Cape Verde. The country, increasingly presented as a destination for telecommuters and digital nomads, has seen a constellation of places emerge offering much more than desks and Wi-Fi.
Chains like Prime Coworking or GoHub, or independent spaces like Workin’ Cabo Verde, SoLuz, or Don Paco, bring together entrepreneurs, freelancers, NGO employees, corporate managers, teachers, creatives, engineers, startup founders, and remote workers from all over Europe, Africa, and the Americas. These places serve as social hubs, professional showcases, and often project platforms.
of coworking users say they are more engaged and motivated when working in these environments.
Overview of Main Coworking Spaces, Island by Island
The network of spaces extends across several islands and constitutes a genuine web for anyone wanting to work and network while moving around the archipelago.
On Santiago, in Praia, Workin’ Cabo Verde is one of the major players, with around thirty workstations, two meeting rooms, a conference room, and a high-performance fiber connection, around 50 Mbps download. Two Prime Coworking sites are also located there, with meeting rooms, about twenty spots, and 40 Mbps fiber. SoLuz, located on the Plateau, offers a setting deeply rooted in the Cape Verdean atmosphere, with training rooms and art exhibitions that attract a diverse audience.
Discover the main collaborative workspaces in Santa Maria, offering solutions tailored to digital nomads and traveling professionals.
Offers a fiber connection (advertised 60 Mbps) with 4G backup, call booths, projection equipment, and a mix of premium and flexible workstations.
A hybrid restaurant-bar-coworking establishment. Allows working during the day with fiber Wi-Fi, meeting rooms, and virtual offices, while immersing in the social life of Santa Maria.
A new space positioning itself more on networking and fostering a community of professionals.
In Mindelo, on São Vicente, Prime Coworking (located in a renovated historic house) and the coworking space at Don Paco Hotel are two important hubs. Don Paco, with its internet measured at over 80 Mbps download, its private call booths, meeting rooms, and printing services, attracts both digital nomads and local professionals.
Boa Vista, with GoHub Sal Rei, has a space equipped with about forty workstations, privacy pods, fiber measured at over 70 Mbps download, and an extended fingerprint access system. On Maio and Fogo, GoHub manages business centers and innovation labs open 24/7, with training rooms, shared offices, and high-speed connections.
GoHub Cabo Verde
A simple glance at the pricing shows these places remain affordable compared to many European capitals and can serve as a stable base for prolonged activity.
Examples of Pricing in Select Coworking Spaces (in euros and CVE)
| Space / Island | Plan | Price € | Price CVE (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prime Coworking (several islands) | 1-Day Pass | €15 | 1,650 CVE |
| Prime Coworking | Basic monthly subscription | €100 | 11,000 CVE |
| Prime Coworking | Premium monthly | €145 | 15,950 CVE |
| Workin’ CV (Praia) | Day Pass | €15 | 1,650 CVE |
| Workin’ CV | Monthly subscription | €165 | 18,200 CVE |
| GoHub Sal (Santa Maria) | Premium Day Pass | €25 | 2,750 CVE |
| Ocean Café (Santa Maria) | Coworking session | €10 | 1,100 CVE |
| Don Paco (Mindelo) | Day Pass | €15 | 1,500 CVE |
| Don Paco | Monthly subscription | €140 | 15,000 CVE |
| GoHub Sal Rei (Boa Vista) | GoMonth Premium | €250 | 26,400 CVE |
| GoHub Maio Business Center | GoMonth | €120 | 13,300 CVE |
In these spaces, the value isn’t just in the desk or the connection. Many organize workshops, meetups, training sessions, themed lunches, and networking evenings. GoHub, for example, deploys an ecosystem with programs like GoEducation, GoEnvironment, GoKnowledge, and innovation labs that connect international skills with local needs. The TUI Futureshaper House, on Sal, goes further by combining a workspace, training, and a hub for social and environmental impact projects.
For an expatriate, participating in these events – even without a defined project initially – helps identify key players in dynamic sectors: responsible tourism, tech, renewable energy, social entrepreneurship, training. It’s also a good way to quickly meet other foreigners already integrated into the local fabric.
Leveraging Business Events and Investment Forums
Beyond shared workspaces, Cape Verde hosts international conferences and forums that can play a major role in building a high-level network.
The Cabo Verde Investment Forum (CVIF) is the flagship event. Organized since 2019 by Cabo Verde TradeInvest, it brings together decision-makers from major Cape Verdean and international companies, representatives from financial and development institutions, investors from the diaspora, and local project promoters. Plenary sessions address strategic themes like tourism, digitalization, renewable energy, or the blue economy, while thematic sessions and B2B meetings facilitate targeted connections.
For the expatriate who wants, for example, to launch a project in solar energy, develop a startup targeting the tourism market, or offer digital services, the CVIF is a rare opportunity to meet potential partners, funders, sector authorities, and experts in just a few days. Working languages are Portuguese and English, with interpretation, facilitating foreign participation.
Events like the “EU – Cabo Verde Global Gateway” forum are key opportunities for networking, especially with European actors. They focus on priority sectors like the energy transition, the blue economy, and digitalization. In practice, these forums also serve as a showcase for concrete projects already underway, offering new investors a realistic view of Cape Verdean market trends, beyond standard promotional materials.
More broadly, many international conferences are organized in Cape Verde across various fields (engineering, medicine, AI, blockchain, tourism, law, environment, management). For those working in these sectors, following conference calendars and subscribing to alert services helps identify when the archipelago becomes a convergence point for the global professional community.
Utilizing Online Resources and Expatriate Communities
An expatriate’s network in Cape Verde isn’t built solely in Praia’s cafés or the halls of Sal Airport. A significant part of relationship building happens through online communities dedicated to the country and its diaspora.
Specialized forums on expatriate life in Cape Verde host dozens of discussions on topics ranging from visa formalities to enrolling children in international schools, finding business partners, employees, service providers, roommates, or simply hiking companions. These platforms are used by both new arrivals and long-term residents, such as one active member living in Cape Verde since 2007 who has visited all islands, sharing experience on entrepreneurship, the real estate market, or the specifics of each island.
Some platforms offer filters by destination (e.g., Praia, São Vicente), nationality, profession, or language. This allows for precisely searching for contacts, like a French-speaking associate in Mindelo or a real estate lawyer in Praia. Members come from all over the world (USA, Africa, Europe, Latin America) and have varied interests: entrepreneurship, finance, volunteering, sports, culture, cuisine, nature.
Apps like Wooh App specifically target expatriates struggling to make local friends or break out of their professional circle. In Praia, the Wooh community is presented as international and open to meeting, operating based on values and interests rather than appearance. Each week, the user receives a contact proposal and is encouraged to meet in person, for example to explore bars, nightlife, or capital events. For an expatriate, this type of tool is an interesting complement to purely professional networks, as the boundary between social and professional life is porous in Cape Verde.
Founded in 2005, this club brings together over 500 members. It offers activities, events, professional meetings, and social gatherings, and provides discounts through local partners. It’s an excellent way to meet the diaspora, entrepreneurs, managers, and expatriate families thanks to a regular program.
For healthcare professionals, associations of Cape Verdean doctors – locally or in the diaspora – as well as events like annual galas and professional meetings in the United States exist and can serve as gateways to collaborations or missions in Cape Verde.
Crafting Your Image and Network on LinkedIn Targeting Cape Verde
Even in a country where direct human relationships remain central, neglecting LinkedIn would be a strategic mistake. With over a billion users worldwide and 67 million listed companies, the platform is now the basic tool for mapping a market’s players, contacting them, and maintaining one’s professional image.
For an expatriate targeting Cape Verde, optimizing their LinkedIn profile should incorporate several elements. Displaying one’s location or interest in the archipelago (by listing, for example, Praia, Mindelo, or Santa Maria as a city) improves visibility to local recruiters and companies. A professional photo significantly increases profile views and messages received. A headline that clearly describes the value offered – “Sustainable Tourism Consultant in Cape Verde”, “Web Developer based in Cape Verde, specialized in…” – facilitates identification by the right contacts.
The “About” section should tell your story and explain your choice of Cape Verde. Specify the types of collaborations sought and target sectors (tourism, energy, tech, education, health, etc.). Detail your experiences and skills, highlighting quantifiable achievements and know-how useful in an island context, such as managing multi-partner projects, adapting to resource-limited environments, intercultural work, or proficiency in Portuguese.
In terms of network development, LinkedIn allows for fine-targeting connections: business owners in Praia, hotel managers on Sal or Boa Vista, chamber of commerce leaders in Mindelo, bank executives, renewable energy consultants, members of Cabo Verde TradeInvest, hotel school teachers, incubator mentors in Praia. Using filters by industry, city, position, one can build a relevant network rather than a collection of useless contacts.
To increase the chances of a connection request being accepted, it must be personalized, short but explicit. It’s advisable to mention a common point, like participation in the same forum, membership in the same group, or a shared interest in a specific field (blue economy, education, etc.). Furthermore, regularly and relevantly interacting with content published by key players (by commenting on their posts about conferences, investment policies, solar energy projects, or responsible tourism initiatives) allows for becoming visible in a natural and non-intrusive way.
Content creation also plays a major role. Publishing experience reports on settling in Cape Verde, analyses of the local market, portraits of Cape Verdean entrepreneurs, summaries of events like the CVIF, or advice for navigating the administration demonstrates on-the-ground knowledge and attracts the attention of actors who share these concerns. Moderate use of relevant hashtags extends the reach of these posts beyond one’s immediate circle.
Finally, joining LinkedIn groups dedicated to Lusophone Africa, tourism, renewable energy, or entrepreneurship in Africa can open additional connections, especially with members of the Cape Verdean diaspora well-established abroad but looking to develop projects in their country of origin.
Relying on Local Institutions, Associations, and Chambers of Commerce
In Cape Verde, institutional and associative structures hold an important place in economic life. For an expatriate, integrating them into one’s networking strategy is an often underestimated step.
The Chambers of Commerce of Barlavento (based in Mindelo) and Sotavento (in Praia) constitute privileged entry points. They represent the interests of local businesses, organize meetings, workshops, information sessions, and can direct you to reliable partners: accountants, lawyers, consultants, suppliers, transporters. They also offer an overview of promising sectors and regulatory constraints.
Agencies like ADEI and the Central Bank of Cape Verde are essential contacts for obtaining information on tax incentives, investment rules, corporate taxation, and employment or innovation support. To stay informed, it is recommended to subscribe to their newsletters, participate in their events, and request informational appointments.
The country also has a myriad of associations and NGOs active in areas like poverty alleviation, education, vocational training, environment, health, and support for foreigners. For an expatriate, getting involved occasionally in a mentoring, training, or local development program allows for expanding their network beyond the strictly business circle, while anchoring themselves in the country’s social reality. Recent initiatives show that mentorship and vocational training programs can lead to significant income increases for beneficiaries, which strengthens the legitimacy of those contributing.
In the tourism sector, schools like the Hotel and Tourism School or the School of Business and Governance train the skilled workforce. Establishing links with these institutions is useful for recruiting or creating training programs in partnership.
Between Cultural Codes, Hierarchy, and the Long Term: How to Maintain Your Network
Once initial contacts are made, the challenge shifts to consolidating and maintaining the network. In a modest-sized country where reputation travels fast, consistency and reliability are essential.
Cape Verdean organizations operate on a hierarchical model where respect for authority and seniority is paramount. Decisions are often collective or require validation by higher levels. For an expatriate, it is crucial not to perceive the slowness of the process as disinterest and to avoid forcing a quick conclusion. The normal process involves aligning different stakeholders, consulting the hierarchy, and seeking consensus.
In meetings, using formal titles (Senhor, Senhora, followed by the surname) is recommended until you are invited to use first names. Handshakes remain the norm, sometimes with slightly shorter interpersonal distance than in some Northern European countries, without becoming invasive. Calm, respectful behavior, avoiding speaking loudly or appearing aggressive, is highly appreciated.
Follow-up after meetings is crucial for maintaining relationships. In a cultural context where celebrations and significant events are important, it is advisable to send a message on the occasion of a holiday (like Independence Day, Christmas, or New Year) or to acknowledge a major milestone (such as a project launch, inauguration, or award). To transform a purely professional relationship into one of trust, propose convivial moments like coffee, lunch, a company visit, or an invitation to a cultural or sporting event.
Within this logic of Djunta-mon, reciprocity plays a central role. A network is not to be consumed; it is nurtured. Providing a service – connecting two contacts, recommending a supplier, sharing a useful resource, giving input on a case – builds an image of a reliable and generous partner, which ultimately translates into opportunities.
Leveraging Sector-Specific Characteristics: Tourism, Energy, Digital, Social
In Cape Verde, networking opportunities take different forms depending on the sector.
Tourism, representing over 25% of GDP, is mainly concentrated on the islands of Sal and Boa Vista, with a strong presence of large resorts and international chains. The professional ecosystem is dense, including hotel managers, entertainment directors, excursion operators, travel agencies, transport providers, guides, and restaurateurs. To meet these players and identify niches (sustainable tourism, local experiences, team training, service digitalization), several places and initiatives are conducive: coworking spaces in Santa Maria, connected bar-cafés (e.g., Ocean Café), water sports clubs, cultural events, and collaborations with environmental NGOs (sea turtle protection, beach management, tourist awareness).
In renewable energy, the national goal of reaching 50% renewable energy creates an environment favorable to solar and wind projects, energy efficiency, and digital management solutions. Investment forums, specialized conferences in Africa, partnerships with European institutions under initiatives like Global Gateway, as well as local incubators and hubs, are privileged channels for building a technical and financial network.
In the digital sector, the growing number of telecommuters, developers, designers, and creatives fuels a still-developing coworking ecosystem. For an expatriate expert (web development, cybersecurity, data, UX, digital marketing), an effective strategy involves becoming an active member of these communities. Offering free workshops, mentoring student projects, or assisting SMEs in their digital transformation allows for quickly becoming visible and building a local network.
Finally, in the social sector, opportunities for volunteering and partnership with local or international NGOs are numerous: education, health, animal protection, biodiversity, poverty alleviation, violence prevention. Participating in these initiatives, even in a limited way, not only gives meaning to one’s stay but also allows meeting people highly engaged in Cape Verdean society, with a broad view of needs and networks.
Logistics, Quality of Life, and Long-Term Anchoring
Developing a professional network in Cape Verde only makes sense if one can envision themselves there long-term. And that also involves very practical considerations: cost of living, housing costs, quality of internet connection, access to healthcare, inter-island mobility.
Estimated monthly budget for a comfortable lifestyle, lower than that of many European capitals.
On the digital front, major cities and tourist hubs have reliable internet access, generally between 10 and 30 Mbps, sometimes more in coworking spaces. Buying a local SIM card from operators like CV Móvel or Unitel T+ is highly recommended, even if temporary shortages can occur. Data packages cost around €10 to €20 per month.
International flights mainly serve the islands of Sal, Praia, São Vicente, and Boa Vista from Europe. For travel between islands, a mix of domestic flights and ferries is available, but the latter can be subject to delays or cancellations. This connectivity is a crucial element to integrate into a networking strategy, especially for a regional rather than strictly local positioning.
For short stays, many nationalities can enter visa-free for 30 days, subject to online pre-registration and an airport security tax. For long-term projects, renewable temporary residence permits are required annually, with procedures involving a passport, medical certificates, obtaining a tax identification number, and often the support of a local lawyer or consultant.
The quality of life – temperate climate, beaches, hiking, omnipresent music, “no stress” atmosphere – is naturally attractive. But for this environment to translate into a viable professional path, it is essential to rely on a solid network that, over the years, will cushion shocks, open doors, and transform what could have remained a simple “expatriation project” into genuine anchoring.
Conclusion: Viewing Your Network as a Work of Patience
Developing your professional network in Cape Verde as an expatriate is neither a sprint nor a copy-pasted plan from another country. It is patient work, beginning with understanding local codes – morabeza, Djunta-mon, the importance of relationships and reputation – and extending through the intelligent use of modern tools (coworking, LinkedIn, social apps, forums) and more institutional channels (investment forums, chambers of commerce, professional associations).
To succeed, one must accept the slowness of decision-making and bureaucratic processes. Building reliable relationships, based on the principle of giving before receiving, is essential. The network is woven in various places: islands, coworking spaces, conferences, social clubs, NGOs, schools, and online forums, forming a mosaic of entry points into this archipelago with a small population but a vast diaspora.
For the expatriate who chooses to take this mosaic seriously, who invests in the language, gets involved in local life, cultivates connections online and offline, and accepts the rules of reciprocity, Cape Verde is not just a postcard backdrop: it is a country where it is possible to build a dense, useful, and lasting network, serving both a professional project and a life project.
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Cyril Jarnias is an independent expert in international wealth management with over 20 years of experience. As an expatriate himself, he is dedicated to helping individuals and business leaders build, protect, and pass on their wealth with complete peace of mind.
On his website, cyriljarnias.com, he shares his expertise on international real estate, offshore company formation, and expatriation.
Thanks to his expertise, he offers sound advice to optimize his clients' wealth management. Cyril Jarnias is also recognized for his appearances in many prestigious media outlets such as BFM Business, les Français de l’étranger, Le Figaro, Les Echos, and Mieux vivre votre argent, where he shares his knowledge and know-how in wealth management.
