BOAD financing nears CFA10,000 billion across WAEMU economies

Investments

Monday, 22 December 2025 10:24

BOAD financing nears CFA10,000 billion across WAEMU economies

(Togo First) - The West African Development Bank (BOAD) ended 2025 with cumulative financing commitments of CFA9,916.6 billion since the start of its operational activities in 1976, the institution said after a board meeting held on December 18 in Lomé, Togo.

The figure was confirmed at the close of the bank’s 149th ordinary session of the Board of Directors, which also approved six new operations totaling CFA75 billion for implementation in 2026.

The newly approved portfolio covers a wide range of sectors, including infrastructure, industry, agriculture, energy, vocational training, and financing for small and medium-sized enterprises. Projects cleared by the board include an agro-industrial cashew processing complex in Guinea-Bissau, major road works in Burkina Faso, an electronic equipment assembly plant in Benin, and agricultural training infrastructure in Senegal.

The approvals also include guarantee operations in the energy sector in Côte d’Ivoire and an additional equity investment in the Cauris IV fund, which focuses on financing SMEs and mid-sized companies across the WAEMU region.

In Togo, BOAD also approved the reallocation of resources under the Emergency Program to Strengthen Resilience in the Savanes Region (PURS), although no further details were provided. In 2023, the bank had approved CFA30 billion in financing for the program, which targets social and economic development in the country’s northern region.

That funding was intended to improve access to isolated communities through rural road development and the delivery of basic infrastructure, including electricity, drinking water, and agricultural processing facilities.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

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.