Every bag of cement arrives by boat or plane: how isolation drives up the cost of building on Maio

An island that produces none of its own materials

Cement, steel bar and tiles are all shipped or flown in from Praia or other islands.

A premium that shows up on every site

A bag of cement costs around 1,300 CVE on Maio, against 850 CVE in Praia.

Dependence on an unreliable service

Ferry delays can bring a building site to a temporary halt.

A structural brake on growth

Building on Maio will remain structurally more expensive than on better connected islands.

Builders report routine delays

Several contractors working on Maio explain that any construction programme has to allow several extra weeks for possible hold-ups in the supply of materials. Bad weather on the crossing or a ferry breakdown can leave a site idle for days, with the resulting losses for the crews taken on. That logistical uncertainty forces builders to stockpile materials well in advance, which in turn increases the storage space needed on site.

How it compares with other smaller islands

The premium for building on Maio is comparable to that faced by other small, poorly connected islands in the archipelago, such as Brava or São Nicolau. In all of them, reliance on sea transport from Praia or São Vicente makes any residential project structurally more expensive. Analysts agree that only a substantial improvement in sea and air links could meaningfully narrow that cost gap.

What it means for families building their own home

For local families putting up their own house in stages, the mark-up on materials is one more obstacle in a process that is already slow. Many choose to buy cement and steel bar in bulk whenever the ferry is running normally, building up reserves to cover several months of work. That approach reduces the risk of stoppages, but it demands a level of savings that not every family can manage.

Few alternatives in the short term

Officials on Maio acknowledge that no project is under way to manufacture building materials locally and ease that dependence. A precast concrete plant on the island has been floated in the past, although the small size of the market casts doubt on whether it would ever pay for itself. In the meantime, every building project on Maio will go on paying the added price of being an island within Cape Verde's own island geography.