Togo Registers 14,202 New Firms in 2025, Down from 2024

Economic governance

Monday, 05 January 2026 18:27

Togo Registers 14,202 New Firms in 2025, Down from 2024

Togo registered 14,202 new companies in 2025, down 4.8% year on year.
The decline marked the second consecutive annual contraction, after a 13% drop in 2024.
New registrations slowed each quarter, with the sharpest decline in the fourth quarter.

Togo recorded 14,202 newly created companies in 2025, according to data collected and compiled by Togo First from the Business Creation Formalities Center (CFE). This total represented a 4.8% decline compared with 2024, when authorities registered 14,919 companies. The result marked the second consecutive annual contraction, following a 13% decline recorded in 2024.

In detail, entrepreneurs created 4,262 companies in the first quarter of 2025, compared with 3,485 in the second quarter, confirming an early slowdown in the year. Registrations continued to fall in the third quarter, with 3,352 new businesses, before the decline intensified in the fourth quarter, when authorities registered 3,103 companies between October and December.

This downward trend persisted despite government efforts to improve the business climate. Authorities implemented measures that included reducing the time and cost of company registration, digitizing formalization procedures, and introducing reforms aimed at boosting entrepreneurship.

Although authorities did not officially comment on the causes of the decline, several structural factors likely contributed to the slowdown. Limited access to financing continued to constrain entrepreneurship, as financial institutions favored established firms, which lenders perceived as less risky, over young companies and startups.

In addition, market saturation in several sectors — particularly trade, catering, and transport — likely reduced opportunities for new entrants.

This article was initially published in French by Esaïe Edoh

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.