Togo plans fuel marking expansion after pilot improves tax revenue

Economic governance

Wednesday, 01 April 2026 14:31

Togo plans fuel marking expansion after pilot improves tax revenue

(Togo First) - Togo plans to extend its Automated Marking System (SAM) to petroleum products. The move follows the system’s earlier rollout across consumer goods and diesel, with technical and operational requirements approved Tuesday in Lomé by industry stakeholders.

The approval followed a pilot phase covering industrial diesel, which benefits from a 50% customs duty exemption and is used exclusively for non-road machinery. The rollout of fuel marking, expected by July 2026, aims to tighten regulation of a sector plagued by illegal imports, adulteration and the diversion of subsidized products.

The system is expected to strengthen market transparency, protect the formal economy, ensure consumers receive quality fuel and reduce environmental harm from high-sulfur products, said Esso-Wavana Adoyi, president of the Marking Commission.

During the session, authorities presented the system and its technical requirements. The technology, equipment and accredited testing laboratories are key to ensuring reliable and secure marking, Adoyi said. “Marking data must enable tracking of the distribution chain, from import or production to retail sale,” he added.

Adoyi said the pilot phase, limited to subsidized industrial diesel, led to an 8% increase in tax revenue. He said fuel marking is not only a technical tool but also an instrument to combat fraud and smuggling, secure state revenue and ensure products meet regional and international standards.

Togo deployed the SAM in 2020 to secure consumer products and improve tax collection. Between 2020 and 2025, the system generated about 35.8 billion CFA francs in revenue for the tax administration, according to the SAM Commission.

Esaïe Edoh

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