Is prostitution legal in São Tomé and Principe?

Illegal

Prostitution is explicitly stated to be illegal in São Tomé and Príncipe.

São Tomé and Principe is one of 101 countries classified “Illegal” for sex work — 46% of the 219 with data. (Also searched as prostitution.)

Source

Taken from
Wikipedia: Prostitution in Africa
Last checked
17 September 2026
How it was classified
Classified by a language model from the source text, then checked against hand-verified reference countries.

Nearby countries

Equatorial Guinea
Illegal Prostitution is explicitly stated to be illegal in Equatorial Guinea.
Gabon
Illegal Prostitution is a criminal offense in Gabon.
Republic of the Congo
Illegal Prostitution is illegal in the Republic of the Congo, despite being commonplace.
Cameroon
Illegal Prostitution is illegal in Cameroon but is tolerated, particularly in urban and tourist areas.
Nigeria
Varies by region The legal status varies by region, with specific penalties in the South and Islamic law in the North.
Togo
Legal & regulated Prostitution is legal in Togo, while related activities like solicitation and procuring are prohibited.

Other laws in São Tomé and Principe

Same-Sex Activity
Legal
Age of Consent
14–15
Incest Laws
Legal between adults
Marriage Age
18+

Every law in São Tomé and Principe → · Where is sex work legal? →

A visual reference compiled from Wikipedia’s law-by-country articles, not legal advice. Laws change and summaries simplify — check a primary source before relying on anything here.