Hundreds of Homes Stand Empty in Ribeira Brava Due to São Nicolau's Long History of Emigration

An Island Shaped by More Than a Century of Emigration

Around 18% of the housing stock in the capital remains shut up for most of the year.

Empty Homes That Never Reach the Market

Owners prefer to keep them as holiday homes for when they return.

An Ageing Housing Stock in Varying States of Disrepair

A run-down property fetches around CVE 1,200,000.

The Impact on Housing Available to Year-Round Residents

This build-up of vacant homes cuts into the real supply available to those who live on the island year-round.

An Emigration Story Spanning More Than a Century

The exodus of São Nicolau residents to the United States and, more recently, to Europe has continued steadily since the late 19th century. Ribeira Brava, the island's capital, is home to a large share of families with active migration ties. This migratory history goes a long way towards explaining the current shape of the island's housing stock.

Roughly One in Five Homes Stands Empty

Close to 18% of the capital's housing stock remains closed for most of the year, according to municipal estimates. Owners would rather keep these houses as holiday homes for their return visits than sell or rent them out. That proportion places São Nicolau among the Cape Verdean islands with the highest share of shuttered housing.

A Housing Stock Ageing Unevenly

Many of these empty homes have deteriorated over years of neglect, while others remain in good condition thanks to periodic visits from their owners. A run-down property today fetches around CVE 1,200,000, a price that reflects the cost of the renovation work still needed. Local builders see this ageing housing stock as a business opportunity, should sales ever pick up.

Less Real Supply for Year-Round Residents

This accumulation of shuttered housing directly reduces the supply available to those who live on the island all year round. Young families in Ribeira Brava say they struggle to find housing despite the apparent abundance of built homes. The town council is looking into incentives to encourage absentee owners to rent their properties to permanent residents.