Togo Trains First Cohort of Corporate Data Protection Officers

ITC

Thursday, 25 June 2026 12:41

Togo Trains First Cohort of Corporate Data Protection Officers

(Togo First) - Togo’s Personal Data Protection Authority (IPDCP) has launched its first group of corporate data protection officers (CPDs), awarding certificates to 32 participants on Wednesday following a three-day training session held in Adétikopé.

The participants came from the banking, insurance, telecommunications, local government, healthcare and transportation sectors, as well as other public and private institutions.

Supporting compliance

The initiative is part of the implementation of Togo’s 2019 law on the protection of personal data. It tasks the CPDs with helping their organizations comply with regulatory requirements, including mapping data processing activities, maintaining processing records, conducting data protection impact assessments, managing data breaches and raising employee awareness.

According to IPDCP President Colonel Bédiani Belei, the officers will serve as the authority’s permanent representatives within companies and public institutions.

“You are now our ambassadors—key partners and vital links in protecting personal data. Within your respective organizations, you are expected to provide guidance, raise awareness and facilitate communication,” he said during the certificate presentation ceremony.

The training comes as financial institutions, telecommunications operators and service companies process significant volumes of personal data on a daily basis.

Operational training

The first participants said the training met a practical need.

“We were able to gain a solid understanding of the law on the protection of personal data. The practical workshops allowed us to learn how to establish a data processing register and conduct a data protection impact assessment,” said Jacob Tapé, a data protection correspondent at Ecobank Togo.

According to the IPDCP, the first group marks the start of a program to professionalize data protection correspondents. The authority plans to introduce an ongoing monitoring and certification system to harmonize practices nationwide and gradually align Togo’s regulatory framework with international standards for digital governance.

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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.