Togo Moves to Expand Municipal Role in Waste Management

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Friday, 13 February 2026 14:25

Togo Moves to Expand Municipal Role in Waste Management

(Togo First) - Togo’s government is looking to expand the role of municipal authorities in waste management. In a joint circular issued Thursday, the ministries of Environment, Territorial Administration, Urban Planning and Health urged mayors to strengthen waste management, sanitation and environmental protection efforts.

The government asked local authorities to draw up sanitation plans, organize regular clean-up campaigns and set up effective waste collection and treatment systems.

Waste management remains a major challenge for municipalities. The appeal is expected to push local governments to secure the funding needed to improve public sanitation. Many face technical and financial constraints as rapid urbanization and population growth strain existing infrastructure and worsen sanitation conditions.

While the National Agency for Sanitation and Public Health (ANASAP) already plays an operational role in waste management, particularly in Greater Lomé, the adoption of formal plans by municipal councils should improve coordination and reinforce the agency’s efforts.

The circular comes as several municipalities prepare to draft local waste management and sanitation policies under the European Union-funded Waste Management in Togo project (GEDEC), implemented by Expertise France.

Esaïe Edoh

REFORMS OVERVIEW

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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….

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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 .

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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.

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