Togo's Median Age of 18 Poses Jobs Challenge as Population Grows

Economic governance

Wednesday, 18 February 2026 07:28

Togo's Median Age of 18 Poses Jobs Challenge as Population Grows

(Togo First) - The United Nations has lowered its estimate of Togo’s population after fully incorporating data from the 2022 census. The nearly 12% adjustment reshapes several economic indicators, including GDP per capita, which has been revised upward by more than 14%.

With a population estimated at just over 8.13 million in 2023, Togo remains one of West Africa’s youngest countries. But new projections from the UN Population Division also point to a country that has been undergoing a gradual demographic transition for decades.

A Massive Youth Population

Togo’s median age is about 18, meaning half the population is younger than that. This demographic profile strongly shapes the country’s social and economic landscape.

Hundreds of thousands of young people enter the labor market each year. This trend poses a major challenge in terms of jobs, training and education infrastructure, but it also presents an opportunity. If this generation is successfully integrated into the economy, it could become a powerful driver of growth.

About 54% of the population is between 15 and 64 years old, the conventional working-age bracket. That share is expected to rise gradually in the coming years.

Togo is no longer the high-fertility country it was in the 1970s, when women had nearly seven children on average. In 2023, the fertility rate stood at just over four children per woman.

The decline reflects structural social changes, including urbanization, rising education levels, particularly among girls, and broader access to reproductive health services.

Fertility remains relatively high, however. The population continues to expand even as the pace of growth gradually slows.

Progress in Health

Demographic transition is not only about declining birth rates. It also reflects improvements in survival. Life expectancy at birth has risen from around 44 years in 1960 to more than 63 years today. Infant mortality has dropped sharply over the same period. These gains reflect expanded vaccination coverage, improved control of infectious diseases and generally better living conditions.

According to UN projections, Togo’s population will continue to grow in the coming decades. It could approach 9.5 million by around 2030 and rise further thereafter. Much of this expansion is driven by demographic momentum. A very young population implies a high number of births in the years ahead, even if fertility per woman declines.

The central challenge is therefore not only population size, but the country’s capacity to convert this demographic shift into sustained economic and social progress.

Fiacre E. Kakpo

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.