Kossi Ténou Appointed to Lead WAEMU's Financial Markets Authority

Economic governance

Wednesday, 26 November 2025 07:56

Kossi Ténou Appointed to Lead WAEMU's Financial Markets Authority

(Togo First) - Togo’s Kossi Ténou has been appointed to head the Financial Markets Authority of the West African Monetary Union (AMF-UEMOA), replacing Badanam Patoki, who has been named Togo’s Minister of Economy and Strategic Foresight.

The decision was announced on Tuesday after an extraordinary session of the UMOA Council of Ministers. The leadership change comes as member states seek to raise capital more effectively through the regional market.

The AMF-UEMOA is responsible for ensuring market integrity and transparency and for supporting modernization efforts in a regional financial market that has become a key channel for financing public infrastructure, issuing sovereign bonds and supporting local businesses.

An economist and career central banker, Ténou has more than twenty years of experience in the West African financial system. He served for several years as the National Director of the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO) for Togo before becoming advisor to Governor Jean-Claude Kassi Brou in late 2023.

Since October 2025, he has served as Minister Delegate responsible for trade and quality standards in Togo. His career combines banking supervision, monetary policy work, and economic oversight.

His appointment comes as several major projects are still underway. Priorities include deepening the regional market, fostering financial innovation, improving investor protection, and coordinating national regulators. Member states also expect the AMF-UEMOA to play a bigger role in boosting bond issuance and strengthening long-term financing channels.

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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 .

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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.

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