Communication in Cabo Verde

In everyday life, many people speak Kriolu, while Portuguese is the official language for administration and formal documents. English and French are also used in tourism and immigration procedures, depending on the situation. Cabo Verde has no single body responsible for all communication matters: the communications and postal regulator (ARME) regulates communications and postal services, the body responsible for government telecommunications and digital policy (DGTED) oversees state telecommunications and digital policy, and providers such as the Unitel T+ network (Unitel T+), the CVTelecom group (CVTelecom), CVMóvel, and CVMultimédia operate different services. Telephony and internet work mainly through mobile networks. Unitel T+ offers, among other things, 4G, prepaid and postpaid tariffs, eSIM, and roaming; the CVTelecom group provides mobile and fixed-line telephony, internet, and other digital services. Network quality and island coverage depend on the provider and location. For example, Unitel T+ charged 2,500 CVE for 10,000 MB for 30 days, 3,500 CVE for 20,000 MB, and 4,299 CVE for 50,000 MB. Tariffs, duration, data volume, and coverage should be checked with the provider before purchase. Users are entitled to clear and current prices, contract terms, data protection information, pre-contract information, detailed bills, and information about service quality. Providers must enable access to free emergency calls; 112 is reachable from publicly accessible telephone services. For changes to offers, the framework provides for 15 days' advance notice. In the event of non-payment, warnings and suspension periods apply according to the contract and applicable law. Users are responsible for payment and for correct contract and identity details. In the event of a disruption, the first step is to contact the provider; ARME can then be involved. The Cape Verde postal service (Correios de Cabo Verde) provides the public postal network and performs a universal-service function. Its services include standard mail service (Correio Normal), priority mail service (Correio Azul), EMS, courier service (Estafeta), M bag service (Mala M), and money transfers. The postal identification code (Código de Identificação Postal, CIP) supports postal allocation. The online service includes, among other things, agency search, price calculation, shipment tracking, and a customer portal. KASIF compartments (KASIF) enable collection and dispatch at participating locations using a PIN sent by SMS. They are accessible around the clock, and collection there usually takes less than one minute. Availability, price, and duration depend on the island, location, weight, destination, and selected product. Official communication takes place digitally and in person. The single government portal (Portal Único) brings together government transactions; Decree-Law no. 36/2026 (Decreto-Lei n.º 36/2026) regulates, among other things, digital official acts, fees, and data queries. Depending on the risk, users authenticate themselves with a password, CNI certificate (CNI), CMDCV, or, where applicable, biometrically and by video conference. The public participation platform (eParticipa) can be used to submit praise, suggestions, reports, complaints, requests for information, and other concerns to public bodies. Porton di nos Ilha is also part of the public service context. Electronic communication is preferred in administrative procedures, but where access is unavailable or familiarity is limited, alternative in-person or other permitted channels remain available. Registration may require an account, proof of identity, internet access, and possibly a fee; the responsible office can provide assistance offline. Administrative procedures use Portuguese. The authority notifies parties of the opening of a procedure and of adverse or decisive acts. Depending on the procedure, notification takes place in person, electronically, by post, by telephone, or through a public notice. An administrative act identifies the authority responsible for appeals and the applicable deadline so that affected persons can review the next steps. Accessible communication is functionally available in Cabo Verde, but it is not equally developed in every location or through every channel. Depending on the need, possible options include local meetings, community radio, television, telephone, digital platforms, plain language, visual materials, Braille, sign-language interpreting, and accessible premises. Rural internet coverage, limited literacy, and hearing, visual, and mobility barriers can make access more difficult. For immigration procedures, the telephone interpreting service (Serviço de Interpretação Telefónica), together with the Green Immigrant Line (Linha Verde Imigrante), offers interpreting in, among other languages, Guinea-Bissau Kriolu, Wolof, Mandarin, French, and English. For problems with telecommunications or postal services, the user should first document the case with the provider and can use the complaints book (Livro de Reclamações), followed by the ARME portal. An ARME guide states that the provider has a maximum of 22 days to respond. eParticipa is suitable for concerns about public services. Questions about personal data can be addressed to the data protection authority (CNPD), for example by form, post, email, or other approved communication channels. Under applicable law, rights include access and erasure, as well as complaint and, where applicable, court proceedings. SMS, apps, and portals also create data protection and cybersecurity risks.