Togo updates national radio spectrum allocation rules
Thursday, 12 March 2026 10:20 
(Togo First) - Togo has approved a new framework for allocating radio spectrum across its telecommunications sector. The reform was adopted Wednesday during a Cabinet meeting chaired by Faure Gnassingbé, president of the council of ministers.
The government approved a decree endorsing the National Frequency Allocation Plan (PNAF), updating the regulatory framework to reflect changes adopted in 2023 to the International Telecommunication Union’s Radio Regulations at the World Radiocommunication Conference.
The new plan aims to align Togo’s regulatory framework with recent and upcoming developments in telecommunications, including the expansion of 5G. It provides for the designation of additional spectrum bands for 5G and high-altitude platform systems, the introduction of a maritime safety communications system, the allocation of new bands for aeronautical mobile services, and the regulation of inter-satellite communications, according to the Cabinet communiqué.
The PNAF, overseen by the telecommunications regulator ARCEP, is typically presented as a detailed table listing spectrum bands such as 700 MHz and 2.1 GHz, alongside their assigned uses, including fixed, mobile, broadcasting and satellite services, as well as the public authorities responsible for managing them.
For the government, the decree both updates the 2022 framework and brings the country further into line with international standards in spectrum management.
Emerging technologies such as 5G, still being rolled out globally, are expected to play an increasingly central role in telecommunications in the coming years by enabling faster data speeds and higher network capacity.
Togo has positioned itself as an early adopter of 5G in West Africa. Togocom launched commercial services as early as November 2020, mainly in the capital Lomé. However, significant challenges remain. Deployment is still limited to key urban areas, while 4G remains the dominant standard and the main driver of mobile internet access for the wider population.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
