EDF Pulse Africa 2021: Sungaz and Atingan to represent Togo and Benin in Paris

Economic governance

Wednesday, 24 November 2021 17:27

EDF Pulse Africa 2021: Sungaz and Atingan to represent Togo and Benin in Paris

(Togo First) - Sungaz and Atingan Solutions are the two startups that will respectively represent Togo and Benin at the grand finale of the 2021 edition of the EDF Pulse Africa Contest next December in Paris. They were picked among eight other startups at the end of the Togo-Benin phase of the “EDF Africa Pulse Tour” which was hosted by the Energy Generation support structure on November 22 in Lomé.

The two startups tackle the same challenge with almost-similar products. Sungaz’s solution is a photovoltaic induction cooker that also provides access to electrical energy.

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Chief of Project, Sungaz, holding his trophy

Regarding Atingan Solutions, it offers eponymous fireplaces equipped with solar panels and accumulators. It has so far sold 5,000 units of these fireplaces, which also have lamps and USB ports, in Benin. “This project has been approved by the entire jury. We are very proud of it and hope it will represent Benin well,” said Anderson Ahoua Boua, Off-GRID business manager at EDF, and a member of the jury.

Besides these two projects, the jury picked Pneumo Generator, a project which promotes an autonomous energy production and storage device for rural and semi-rural areas, as “favorite project.” The prototype will get tailored support in Lomé for its development and deployment.

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From left to right, Anderson Ahoua Boua, Jocelyne Caballero (French ambassador to Togo), the representative of Atingan Solutions, and Astria Fataki

“Each of the winners for his or her country was unanimous. It must be said that the projects are of very high quality. And so we are very proud to send them to the final” said Astria Fataki, founder and CEO of Energy Generation.

The award ceremony was attended by Jocelyne Caballero, Ambassador of France to Togo and Mila Aziable, Minister Delegate, in charge of mines and energy. “The Ministry of Mines and Energy, which I head, is fully involved in the initiative that brings us together today and which aims to encourage and support local entrepreneurship in contributing to energy transition in the power sector,” said Mila Aziable before reiterating the full commitment of the Togolese government, EDF and its partners to “keep strengthening cooperation ties and coordinate entrepreneurship-supporting actions more effectively.”

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Mila Aziablé during her speech

The EDF Pulse Africa Contest was launched in 2018 by Electricité de France group. Its purpose is to provide innovative African SMEs and Startups that operate in the power sector financial (cash prize of up to €15,000) and technical support via the EDF Pulse Africa Factory acceleration program. In 2019, the Togolese Adakpo Boutamekpo, who was a member of the 2021 jury for the Togo-Benin phase, won the second prize at the EDF Africa Pulse grand final.

Klétus Situ

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.