Greater Lomé adopts geospatial tool to improve urban planning and service access

Public Management

Friday, 01 August 2025 06:53

Greater Lomé adopts geospatial tool to improve urban planning and service access

(Togo First) - The District of Greater Lomé (DAGL) has officially approved a geospatial reference report aimed at guiding urban planning and service delivery across Togo’s capital and surrounding areas. The report, validated on July 30, 2025, is the outcome of a study launched in March to address unplanned urbanization in the region.

Conducted over four months, the study gathered geospatial, socio-economic, and infrastructure data to produce a technical decision-making tool for more coherent and sustainable urban management. The project aligns with Togo’s National Spatial Planning Framework (SNAT) for 2045, which seeks to promote balanced national development.

According to authorities, the data collected will allow a detailed analysis of how socio-economic infrastructure is distributed, highlight underserved zones, and guide the development or rehabilitation of public services. The overall goal is to better target the location of essential infrastructure while addressing the mounting challenges of rapid urban growth.

The report outlines the main drivers of unplanned urban expansion and its consequences for both the environment and residents’ quality of life. Between 2010 and 2022, the population of Greater Lomé grew from 1.57 million to 2.18 million, an average annual growth rate of 2.7%, while the area of 373 km² remained unchanged.

This demographic pressure has triggered rapid peri-urban sprawl, with informal housing encroaching on former agricultural lands. The result has been limited access to critical infrastructure, unequal public service distribution, congested transport networks, and fragmented urban development.

Through this initiative, the DAGL aims to transform Greater Lomé into a multi-centered, resilient city, better equipped to meet the needs of a growing population.

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.