The capital, Bissau is a tough place, with little basic infrastructure and investment. The Portuguese dictator Salazar ruled Guinea-Bissau even more brutally than most colonial regimes until late independence in 1974. Guinea-Bissau has been unstable politically since then, with a series of short-lived regimes which have not prioritised the development of the country nor the needs of Guinean people. 
The Portuguese influence is still strong, with it being the official language and many Portuguese imported products, like Cristal beer and even Saldomar salt, which you’d think would be imported from African neighbours rather than the former colonists.
This was also a feature in Senegal which seems to have lots of French imports, but does have its own great beers, Gazelle and Flag.
In Rua Cacheu we stayed in a nice Airbnb apartment with a washing machine, and we must admit that it was quite exciting to wash all our sweaty, sandy, diesel-infused clothes.
Due South 
Many of these countries have long standing trade deals with their former ‘colons’ which they seem not to be able to get out off. The inhabitants also believe that products coming from the western world are of better quality and rather prestigious. They’d go out of their way to go to establishments serving those. Your comment about washing clothes made me chuckle!