ISOC-Togo Hosts National Forum on Digital Sovereignty and AI Governance

ITC

Friday, 19 June 2026 17:25

ISOC-Togo Hosts National Forum on Digital Sovereignty and AI Governance

(Togo First) - The Togolese chapter of the Internet Society (ISOC-Togo) hosted the 12th National Internet Governance Forum (Togo IGF) on Friday at the UniPod of the University of Lomé.

The event was held under the theme: “Governing in the Era of Artificial Intelligence, Big Data and Geopolitical Dynamics: Challenges of Digital Sovereignty in Togo.”

The 2026 edition builds on the Tunis Agenda for the Information Society, adopted in 2005.

Ahead of the forum, two key events were organized: the Togolese School of Internet Governance (TogoSIG), held on Wednesday, June 17, and Youth IGF Togo on June 18. Recommendations from the youth forum helped inform discussions at the national gathering.

The opening ceremony brought together representatives of the IGF Support Association, the ECOWAS Commission, the United Nations Secretariat for Internet Governance, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Africa’s Place in the Digital Revolution

Emmanuel Vitus Agbenowossi, president of ISOC-Togo, highlighted what is at stake for the continent.

“It is important for us, as Africans, to understand where we stand in this revolution. Can we afford to stay on the sidelines, or must we get on board?” he said.

Agbenowossi noted that the forum typically attracts between 200 and 300 participants from government institutions, public agencies, internet regulators, academia, the private sector, and the technical community.

Addressing the significance of the forum’s theme, he said digital sovereignty means having the capacity to collaborate strategically, strengthen trust among users, protect citizens online, and develop local expertise capable of contributing to regional and international debates that shape the future of the digital world.

The opening session featured a presentation by Adjalle-Dadji Yao Délali, a legal scholar specializing in private and intellectual property law, who examined the challenges of digital sovereignty in Africa.

He noted that only three African countries (Mauritius, Egypt and South Africa) rank among the world’s top 50 nations in artificial intelligence.

Three panel discussions were scheduled for the afternoon, focusing on artificial intelligence and strategic preparedness, moderated by the University of Lomé; data governance and digital trust; and digital sovereignty in a changing geopolitical environment.

National AI Training Initiative

Beyond the debate on digital sovereignty, Togo has launched a series of initiatives in recent months aimed at strengthening national expertise in artificial intelligence.

In June 2025, the government launched a national training program in artificial intelligence, computer programming and digital English at the University of Lomé.

Implemented in partnership with U.S. startup Kira Learning, the initiative aims to train 50,000 students annually in key digital-economy skills. An initial cohort of 15,000 learners was targeted across the country’s public universities.

Available online free of charge, the program combines interactive courses, practical exercises and personalized support from an AI-powered tutor. Training modules focus on Python programming, the fundamentals of artificial intelligence and English for digital professions.

According to the Ministry of Digital Transformation, the objective is to enable students, regardless of their academic background, to acquire skills that can be directly applied in the labor market and contribute to the development of technological solutions tailored to local needs.

Recommendations emerging from the ISOC-Togo discussions will be submitted to the Togolese government and other stakeholders in the sector for consideration in future public policy development.

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.