MSME Competitiveness Takes Center Stage at Togo’s International MSME Day

Economic governance

Tuesday, 30 June 2026 16:52

MSME Competitiveness Takes Center Stage at Togo’s International MSME Day

(Togo First) - Togo celebrated the fourth International Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSME) Day last weekend. The event brought together entrepreneurs, public officials, and technical and financial partners in Lomé under the theme: “Togolese MSMEs Facing New Drivers of Transformation for Inclusive and Competitive Growth.”

MSMEs account for more than 80% of businesses in the country and make a significant contribution to job and income creation. At a time when the private sector is the main driver of the national economy, improving their competitiveness has become central to the country’s structural transformation.

Financing Remains the Main Development Challenge

Access to financing remains the biggest challenge facing the sector. Togolese banks granted CFA903 billion in new loans as of the end of September 2025, up 22% from the same period in 2024, according to the National Credit Council.

However, that overall increase masks significant disparities, as financing for MSMEs remains limited. While banks’ lending requirements are regularly criticized, Vignon Aboki, president of the Togolese Association of SMEs and SMIs (Groupement togolais des PME/PMI), said entrepreneurs also needed to strengthen corporate governance, improve financial management, and better structure their businesses to improve access to credit.

Participants also called for better coordination among existing business support programs, arguing that current initiatives remain too fragmented to have a meaningful impact.

Representing the Minister of Grassroots Development, Grand Lomé Autonomous District Governor Zouréhatou Kassah-Traoré reaffirmed the government’s commitment to improving the business environment, strengthening business support programs, and facilitating access to financing. She said private sector development and the creation of decent jobs remain among the government’s priorities.

Government Support Framework Continues to Evolve

The event also highlighted reforms Togo has introduced in recent years to support MSMEs.

The MSME Charter, approved in 2021 and available online, includes measures covering financing, access to public procurement, promotion of subcontracting, and business formalization. In addition, an MSME White Paper, produced following extensive consultations with public and private stakeholders, was published last year. The document sets out recommendations on key issues, including governance, access to information, taxation, modernization of the agricultural sector, and social security.

At the close of this year’s event, participants identified financing, training, formalization, market access, and capacity building as the sector’s main priorities. Those areas remain central to Togo’s efforts to accelerate its structural economic transformation.

Gautier Agbékodovi

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.