This article lists the past presidents of São Tomé and Príncipe since the establishment of the office of president in 1975 till date.
São Tomé and Príncipe, an island country in the Gulf of Guinea off the western equatorial coast of Central Africa. Manuel Pinto da Costa was the first person to hold the office, taking effect on 12 July 1975. The incumbent is Carlos Vila Nova, having taken office on 2 October 2021.
Read: POLITICAL HISTORY OF SÃO TOMÉ AND PRÍNCIPE
TERM LIMITS
As of 2021, there is a two-term limit for the president in the Constitution of São Tomé and Príncipe. The first president for whom the term limits applied was Trovoada in 2001.
LIST OF OFFICEHOLDERS
| No. | Name (Birth–Death) | Elected | Term of office | Political party | ||
| Took office | Left office | Time in office | ||||
| 1 | Manuel Pinto da Costa (born 1937) | — | 12 July 1975 | 4 March 1991 | 15 years, 235 days | MLSTP–PSD |
| – | Leonel Mário d’Alva (born 1935) Acting | — | 4 March 1991 | 3 April 1991 | 30 days | PCD |
| 2 | Miguel Trovoada (born 1936) | 1991 | 3 April 1991 | 15 August 1995 (deposed) | 4 years, 134 days | ADI |
| – | Lieutenant Manuel Quintas de Almeida (1957–2006) Chairman of the National Salvation Junta | — | 15 August 1995 | 21 August 1995 | 8 days | Military |
| (2) | Miguel Trovoada (born 1936) | 1996 | 21 August 1995 | 3 September 2001 | 6 years, 19 days | ADI |
| 3 | Fradique de Menezes (born 1942) | 2001 | 3 September 2001 | 16 July 2003 (deposed) | 1 year, 316 days | MDFM–PL |
| – | major Fernando Pereira (born 1963) Chairman of the Military Junta of National Salvation | — | 16 July 2003 | 23 July 2003 | 7 days | Military |
| (3) | Fradique de Menezes (born 1942) | 2006 | 23 July 2003 | 3 September 2011 | 8 years, 42 days | MDFM–PL |
| (1) | Manuel Pinto da Costa (born 1937) | 2011 | 3 September 2011 | 3 September 2016 | 5 years | Independent |
| 4 | Evaristo Carvalho (1941–2022) | 2016 | 3 September 2016 | 2 October 2021 | 5 years, 29 days | ADI |
| 5 | Carlos Vila Nova (born 1959) | 2021 | 2 October 2021 | Incumbent | 1 year, 332 days | ADI |
