Togo Plans 950 km² Marine Protected Area to Boost Biodiversity, Fisheries

Economic governance

Friday, 03 October 2025 10:17

Togo Plans 950 km² Marine Protected Area to Boost Biodiversity, Fisheries

(Togo First) - • Togo is establishing its first Marine Protected Area (MPA), covering 950 km².
• The MPA aims to protect rich but vulnerable biodiversity and support local fisheries.
• The project, 10 years in the making, now enters an active phase with support from international partners.

Togo is advancing plans for its first marine protected area (MPA), a project in preparation for a decade. The Ministry of Maritime Economy hosted awareness meetings on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 in Agbodrafo and Aného, engaging fishers, fish traders, NGOs, local authorities, and technical partners to launch an active implementation phase.

The MPA will span approximately 950 km² across the Lacs, Vo, and Zio prefectures. Positioned between the Atlantic Ocean and Lake Togo, the area hosts rich but vulnerable biodiversity threatened by overfishing, pollution, and climate change. Authorities aim to conserve mangroves, protect fish stocks, and strengthen local community resilience, while creating opportunities for tourism and research.

Officials said the MPA will serve as a maritime resource reservoir, sustaining artisanal and industrial fisheries—key drivers of coastal employment and income. “The creation of the MPA is not a restriction, but a regulation to ensure resource sustainability,” the ministry emphasized.

The project aligns with Togo’s revised national biodiversity strategy and international conservation commitments. It receives support from multiple partners, including the World Bank via the West Africa Coastal Areas (WACA) resilience program, the Global Environment Facility (GEF), WAEMU, IUCN, and FAO.

This article was initially published in French by Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum

REFORMS OVERVIEW

STARTING A BUSINESS (more info)

At the fifteenth position, worldwide, and first in Africa, under the Starting a Business index of the 2020 Doing Business ranking, Togo sustains its reformative dynamics with more reforms….

ENFORCING CONTRACTS (more info)

Compared to some years ago when it was one of the lowest rankers under the Doing Business’ Enforcing Contracts indicator, Togo, leveraging many efforts to improve its business climate, was able to jump significantly on the index in the recent years... .

CONTRACT EXECUTION (more info)

Creation of special chambers of commerce for small debts • Creation of chambers of commerce at the Court of Appeal • Civil and commercial cases now handled by distinct clerks • Establishment of commercial courts in Lomé and Kara • Lawyers and bailiffs now have access to the FORSETI COMMERCIAL platform • A maximum period of 100 days was fixed to settle a commercial dispute .

TRADING ACROSS BORDERS (more info)

In comparison to previous years,Togo has significantly improved its ranking under the“Trading across borders” indicator by adopting multiple reforms that focus mainly on the digitization and reduction in delays, for import and export procedures related to import and export.

In comparison to previous years, Togo has significantly improved its ranking on the “Trading across borders” index by adopting multiple reforms that focus mainly on the digitalization and reduction in delays, for import and export procedures related to import and export.

CONSTRUCTION PERMIT (more info)

After moving from the 133rd to 127th place under the 2020 Doing Business’ construction permit index, Togo intends to reiterate this feat in the coming edition of the global ranking. To this end, it has introduced this year multiple reforms.

GETTING ELECTRICITY (more info)

Over the past two years, Togo’s ranking under the Doing Business’ Getting electricity and water indicator has increased consistently. Owing this performance to multiple reforms aimed at making it easier for businesses to access power and water, Lomé plans to introduce even more reforms this year to keep up its improvements.

REGISTERING A PROPERTY (more info)

Out of all the 'Doing Business’ indicators, Property Registration is where Togo has improved the most since 2018. Indeed, after spending years in the lowest part of this ranking, the country now seeks to beat Rwanda which is the best performer on this index in Africa. To do so, Lomé has been introducing many reforms, with the latest batch implemented this year.

PUBLIC PROCUREMENT (more info)

From professionalization to digitization, through legislative regulations, Togo’s public procurement framework is constantly being modernized. Several reforms have been implemented to improve the sector much to the benefit of the private sector, which is the focus of the National Development Plan.

PAYING TAXES AND DUTIES (more info)

To improve its business environment, Togo introduced some important reforms related to the payment of tax and duties. From the replacement of some taxes to the cancellation of others through exemptions, the country has only one objective: offer the most attractive tax framework to investors and economic operators. To achieve this, the authorities relied on digitization.