| Honorific Prefix: | The Honourable |
| Samuelu Penitala Teo | |
| Honorific Suffix: | MP |
| Office1: | Speaker of the Parliament of Tuvalu |
| Term Start1: | 20 September 2019 |
| Term End1: | 27 January 2024 |
| Primeminister1: | Kausea Natano |
| Predecessor1: | Otinielu Tausi |
| Successor1: | Iakoba Italeli |
| Order2: | Acting |
| Office2: | Governor-General of Tuvalu |
| Monarch2: | Elizabeth II |
| Primeminister2: | Kausea Natano |
| Term Start2: | January 2021 |
| Term End2: | 28 September 2021 |
| Predecessor2: | Teniku Talesi (acting) |
| Successor2: | Tofiga Vaevalu Falani |
| Office3: | Minister of Works, Energy and Communications (1999-2001); Minister for Natural Resources (2001-2002) |
| Primeminister3: | Ionatana Ionatana (1999-2000); Lagitupu Tuilimu (2000-2001); Faimalaga Luka (2001); and Koloa Talake (2001–2002) |
| Term Start3: | 1999 |
| Term End3: | 2002 |
| Constituency Mp4: | Niutao |
| Parliament4: | Tuvaluan |
| Term Start4: | 26 March 1998 |
| Term End4: | 3 August 2006 |
| Constituency Mp5: | Niutao (serving with Fauoa Maani) |
| Parliament5: | Tuvaluan |
| Predecessor5: | Vete Sakaio |
| Term Start5: | 31 March 2015 |
| Term End5: | 26 January 2024 |
| Birth Name: | Samuelu Penitala Teo |
| Party: | Independent |
Samuelu Penitala Teo is a Tuvaluan politician. He is the son of Sir Fiatau Penitala Teo who was appointed as the first Governor General of Tuvalu (1978 - 1986) following independence from Great Britain.[1] Samuelu Teo himself served as the Acting Governor-General of Tuvalu from January until 28 September 2021.[2] [3] He had succeeded Acting Governor-General Teniku Talesi[4] and remained in office until the Rev. Tofiga Vaevalu Falani was sworn in as the 10th Governor-General in September 2021.
His spouse is Miliaga Samuelu Teo.[5]
He was first elected to the Parliament of Tuvalu at the 1998 general election to represent the constituency of Niutao.[1] He served as the Minister of Works, Energy and Communications in the governments led by Ionatana Ionatana (1999-2000)[6] and Lagitupu Tuilimu (2000-2001). He was the Minister for Natural Resources in the governments led by Faimalaga Luka (2001) and Koloa Talake (2001–2002). He was re-elected in the 2002 Tuvaluan general election, then lost his seat in the 2006 Tuvaluan general election when the vote of the Tuvaluan electorate resulted in the election of 8 new members to the 15 member parliament.[7] [8]
Samuelu Teo was again elected to represent Niutao in the 2015 Tuvaluan general election.[9] [10] [11] The 2015 election was strongly contested with 6 candidates including the two incumbent MPs (Vete Sakaio and Fauoa Maani) and three former MPs (Sir Tomu Sione, Tavau Teii and Teo).[10]
Following the 2019 Tuvaluan general election, on 19 September 2019, the members of parliament elected Kausea Natano from Funafuti as prime minister;[12] [13] [14] and Teo was elected as Speaker of the Parliament of Tuvalu.[15]
He was not re-elected in the 2024 Tuvaluan general election.[16] [17]
His brother Feleti Penitala Teo[18] [19] was elected to represent Niutao in the 2024 general election,[16] and was elected as prime minister.[20] [21]