Motivated Workforce and Investor-Friendly Policies Make Togo Stand Out –Charlie Komar

Economic governance

Monday, 23 June 2025 06:11

Motivated Workforce and Investor-Friendly Policies Make Togo Stand Out –Charlie Komar

(Togo First) - The image was striking. An American business leader sat before Togolese authorities, declaring confidence in a country where his group had never before established an industrial presence. On Wednesday, June 18, Charlie Komar, CEO of the eponymous group, was in Lomé to inaugurate the first African factory of Star Garments. This textile subsidiary belongs to the U.S.-based company.

The project, named "Renaissance Togo," is driven by Asian expertise, multilateral finance, and an ambitious national industrialization strategy.

A Conviction Built on the Ground

"This decision was no accident. We saw here a rising nation, a government focused on stability, modern infrastructure, and an investor-friendly policy," Charlie Komar stated before the Chairman of the Council, attending ministers, and representatives of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the project’s financial partner. "We saw a skilled, motivated, and proud workforce ready to build, to create, to innovate."

For the head of this century-old family business, whose industrial history spans wars and global shifts, people make the difference. "This factory is not just made of machines. What matters here is human energy, ingenuity, passion. It is living software, built to the highest global quality standards."

Located in the Adétikopé Industrial Platform (PIA), the Star Garments factory spans 3.7 hectares. It currently employs 304 people, with a goal of reaching 2,000 direct jobs and 4,520 direct and indirect jobs by 2030. More than 60 to 70 percent of these jobs are intended for women.

"Starting tomorrow, we will produce garments here that will be worn around the world," Komar emphasized. "But more than that, we will build a future. Thousands of jobs, broad opportunities for women and youth, and a new chapter in West Africa’s textile excellence."

A Project Born from Cross Continental Dialogue

The initiative originated from a meeting between Sri Lankan industrialist Arumugampillai Sukumaran, CEO of Star Garments Group, and his American partner. Starting in 2019, they explored several countries across Africa and Asia. "We visited Ethiopia, Kenya, Ghana, Benin, Bangladesh," Sukumaran said. "But it was in Togo that we found an efficient port ecosystem, clear political will, and an ability to tell a story our competitors could not match."

This shared vision convinced Komar to invest, an ambition the IFC actively chose to support. "A stable job is the surest path out of poverty and a guarantee of social cohesion," noted Olivier Buyoya, the institution’s regional director for West Africa.

"We believe in Togo and all it has to offer. And we ask for everyone’s support in this room to make that vision a reality," Sukumaran concluded. For Komar, the factory stands as a model, representing a successful collaboration among the state, private investors, and technical and financial partners.

The commitment has been made, and it is built for the long term. "This is only the beginning," the group’s leaders promised.

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.