Togo Hosts Landmark UK–Francophone Africa Trade Forum

Investments

Wednesday, 12 November 2025 17:31

Togo Hosts Landmark UK–Francophone Africa Trade Forum

The 4th UK–West and Central Francophone Africa Trade and Investment Forum opened in Lomé—the first time it has been held on African soil.
Over 700 participants are attending to discuss infrastructure, SMEs, logistics, agribusiness, and energy transition.
The forum has generated over £1 billion in trade since 2022, strengthening Togo’s role as a bridge between Francophone Africa and the Commonwealth.

Togo’s President Faure Gnassingbé on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, opened the 4th UK–West and Central Francophone Africa Trade and Investment Forum (UK–WCAF) in Lomé. It marks the first time the event—jointly organized by the Togolese government, the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), and UK Export Finance (UKEF)—takes place on the African continent.

The two-day forum gathers more than 700 participants from governments, private companies, and international financial institutions. Discussions focus on strengthening economic partnerships and fostering regional integration across sectors such as infrastructure financing, SME development, logistics, agribusiness, and the energy transition.

In his opening remarks, President Gnassingbé underscored Togo’s pivotal geographic and economic role in West Africa. “Investing in Togo means entering the growth corridor linking Lagos, Cotonou, Lomé, Accra, and Abidjan—and accessing both Francophone and Anglophone markets,” he said.

He called for stronger policy coordination and predictable investment frameworks. “To make integration a reality, we must harmonize regulations, facilitate trade, simplify procedures, and create predictable conditions for investors,” he added. “Administrative fluidity and regulatory transparency are now the invisible infrastructures of modern trade that our economies need.”

Since its launch in 2022, the UK–WCAF Forum has generated over £1 billion in trade. This year’s edition in Lomé aims to deepen economic cooperation and position Togo as a key commercial gateway between Francophone Africa and the Commonwealth.

This article was initially published in French by R.E.D

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum

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.