• Togo's Ministry of Higher Education presents results of the VaRRIWA project, promoting academic research and innovation in West Africa.
• The initiative has led to 14 key projects, including four in Togo, and generated 322 jobs, highlighting the country's rapid technological growth.

In Togo, the Ministry of Higher Education is intensifying its focus on research and innovation, as demonstrated during a recent B2B meeting in Lomé on July 3rd, where results from the West African Research and Innovation Results Utilization project (VaRRIWA) were presented.

The event facilitated discussions between researchers, innovators, and investors, under the aegis of the University Agency of Francophonie (AUF). The VaRRIWA project, during its deployment, engaged 375 key players, created a regional digital platform, and most significantly, implemented 14 development projects, including four in Togo.

These Togolese projects include UVi2A (an Agricultural and Agri-food Innovations Unit) that focuses on agricultural innovations, and CAVRIS, a support center promoting research and innovation outcomes in the field of science and technology. Other projects involve training in value creation (FORVARITO) and public-private partnerships for financing (PPVRI).

In terms of impact, the project helped create 25 businesses and 322 jobs, alongside an 11-point jump for Togo in the Global Innovation Index (GII), a worldwide performance measure of technological dynamism.

The July 3 meeting also facilitated discussions regarding financial challenges and private co-investment opportunities. During the roundtable, Dr. Kossi Sénamé Dodzi, the director of scientific research, emphasized the necessity of "initiating win-win partnerships" to build a truly sustainable innovation ecosystem.

The University of Lomé (UL) will offer targeted aeronautics training programs under a new deal with Togo’s National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC-Togo).

UL President Adama Mawulé Kpodar and ANAC-Togo Director General Ahabou Idrissou signed the agreement on June 3. The partnership will create programs to train qualified candidates for careers in aviation, with internships and job opportunities at ANAC-Togo based on industry needs.

“This agreement will allow the establishment of short-term certifications, ranging from three to six months, in the field of aeronautics,” Kpodar said. He stressed that the programs will directly meet market demands and provide Togo with skilled, job-ready professionals.

ANAC-Togo’s Idrissou said the partnership aims to build a competitive and sustainable civil aviation sector that meets international standards.

This initiative supports the government’s plan to make Togo a credible, efficient player in regional aeronautics.

This article was initially published in French by Esaïe Edoh

Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum

• U.S. Embassy donates advanced scanners and explosive trace detectors.
• Equipment aims to improve passenger and staff safety at Lomé airport.
• Delivery follows recent emergency response drill to test crisis readiness.

Togo’s main airport has received new security equipment from the United States to better detect and prevent threats, officials said on Tuesday, July 1.

The Gnassingbé Eyadéma International Airport in Lomé was handed four explosive trace detectors, four advanced imaging body scanners and related accessories. The equipment was provided by the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA), part of the Department of Homeland Security.

“This handover demonstrates our shared commitment to effective and cooperative civil aviation security,” said Michael DeTar, chargé d’affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Togo.

https://t.co/GBTq3iooXm

— U.S. Embassy Togo (@USEmbassyLome) July 2, 2025

Togo’s National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) said the support will help address current security challenges and better protect passengers and airport personnel, in line with government ambitions to establish the airport as a regional hub.

The donation comes as Lomé airport steps up safety initiatives. On June 13, airport operator SALT conducted an emergency simulation exercise, “Exo Salle EPULO 2025,” to test response, coordination and communication capabilities in the event of a major incident, such as a crash.

• Service to be discontinued in Togo from August 1, reflecting global banking trends.
• Rising costs, low profitability and regulatory pressures drive exit.
• Customers urged to clear contents by July 31 or items will be transferred to a mandated firm.

Ecobank said it will end its safe deposit box services in Togo effective August 1, becoming the latest lender to withdraw from the costly and increasingly marginal line of business.

In a notice sent to clients, the pan-African bank urged customers to remove their belongings before July 31. Items left uncollected will be handed over to a designated third party.

The move aligns with an international trend as banks grapple with low profitability, high operating costs and heightened regulatory scrutiny over the use of safe deposit boxes.

Historically regarded as a core banking service for affluent clients, safe deposit boxes have become harder to justify financially. The service requires substantial spending on security infrastructure, maintenance and dedicated personnel, yet generates limited revenue.

Legal and compliance risks have also escalated, particularly around liability for theft or damage, and the potential misuse of boxes for money laundering or terrorism financing.

Major international banks—including JPMorgan Chase, HSBC, Barclays and Capital One—have phased out the service in parts of their networks. In Switzerland, despite around 350,000 safe deposit compartments still in use, banks are gradually scaling back and referring clients to specialised providers like Swiss Gold Safe.

In Central Europe, several banks are progressively closing their secure storage services, preferring to divert customers to external providers. In South Africa, Absa wrapped up this service in September 2024, while FNB abandoned it as early as 2017, following a series of security incidents. According to a study cited by the Wall Street Journal, roughly 20% of American banks have wiped out this service over the past six years.

The shift has reached Africa as well. South Africa’s Absa closed its safe deposit boxes in 2024, following FNB’s exit in 2017 after security incidents. Meanwhile, private storage firms have gained traction by offering biometric access and bespoke insurance.

At the same time, the rise of secure digital vaults and a surge in home safe sales—seen in countries like Morocco amid post-Covid distrust—highlight how customer habits are changing.

This article was initially published in French by Fiacre E. Kakpo

Edited in English by Ola Schad Akinocho

• Partnership to deploy Apigee API management and BigQuery analytics in 33 markets.
• Bank aims to boost SME financing and financial inclusion in low-banking regions.
• Collaboration underscores growing demand for digital financial services on the continent.

Pan-African lender Ecobank has partnered with Google Cloud to speed up its digital transformation and broaden access to financial services across Africa. The partnership was disclosed on July 2, 2025. 

Under the agreement, Ecobank will integrate Google Cloud’s advanced tools—including Apigee for API management and BigQuery for data analytics—to streamline money transfers, improve payment access, and deliver personalised banking services in 33 African markets.

“This marks a decisive leap in our digital transformation journey,” said Jeremy Awori, Ecobank Group CEO.

The collaboration will focus on co-developing secure, scalable solutions tailored to Africa’s fast-growing demand for digital finance. Ecobank said it plans to leverage artificial intelligence and smart data collection to bring banking closer to customers and lay the foundation for a more connected fintech ecosystem.

The bank expects the initiative to strengthen support for small and medium-sized enterprises, facilitate financing, and create intuitive banking tools accessible even in underbanked regions.

However, challenges remain, including cybersecurity risks, infrastructure limitations, and the need to raise awareness among rural populations.

The World Bank has appointed Togolese national Farouk Mollah Banna as its new Resident Representative in Chad.

Banna will manage a $2.7 billion portfolio for the World Bank in Chad, overseeing projects in agriculture, energy, education, digital transformation, and social protection.

He brings global experience to the job. Banna has worked across Asia, the Middle East, the Caribbean, and Sub-Saharan Africa. Most recently, he coordinated sustainable development programs in the Central Sahel from Bamako, a role that already gave him hands-on experience in Chad.

Banna trained as an engineer at the University of Lomé and earned an advanced degree from the University of North Carolina in the United States. He holds both Togolese and American citizenship. He brings more than 23 years of professional experience, including over ten years with the World Bank.

This article was initially published in French by Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum

Lomé, Togo, is hosting the first-ever Francophone Emergency Housing Forum (RHUF) this week. The event, which started on July 1 and set to end today July 3, comes as humanitarian and climate-related crises continue to intensify across West Africa.

Organized by the African School of Architecture and Urbanism (EAMAU), with support from partners including the Red Cross and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the forum aims to rethink models for temporary housing in French-speaking regions.

The meeting brings together experts, researchers, urban planners, and policymakers to develop safer, more sustainable, and locally adapted emergency shelter solutions. The forum comes at a time when some parts of the continent report as much as 38% of their population displaced due to disasters or conflicts.

Dr. Malam Boukar Awa Krou, Director General of EAMAU, said the goal is to move away from short-term fixes toward a more lasting response framework, one that builds on local cultures and homegrown innovations.

Francophone Africa, which has lagged behind in addressing emergency housing challenges, is catching up with this inaugural forum. The region faces high funding pressures, limited media attention to the issue, and an urgent need to better structure the sector.

Participants are focusing discussions on financing mechanisms, the transition from emergency to stability, and strengthening the link between academic research and humanitarian practice.

Speaking at the forum’s opening, Kanka-Malik Natchaba, Togo’s Minister for Higher Education and Research and Vice President of EAMAU’s Board, said the event will help consolidate networks for future collaboration on key themes such as humanitarian housing, climate change, population displacement, urban growth, and demographic expansion.

“This forum is a unique opportunity to strengthen cooperation among stakeholders and to develop innovative, lasting solutions,” organizers stated.

• Authorities begin drafting a guide to shape Regional Development Plans (PDRs).
• Plans will address climate, gender, inclusion, and social cohesion.

Togo has launched the process to equip its newly established regional councils with formal Regional Development Plans (PDRs), the government announced on Tuesday, July 1.

The Ministry of Land Use Planning and Territorial Development unveiled work on a guide that will standardise how the plans are designed and ensure alignment with national strategies. Similar to the Communal Development Plans already in place, the PDRs will integrate climate challenges along with cross-cutting themes such as gender equality, social inclusion, citizenship, security and peace.

The drafting process will include capacity-building workshops for stakeholders, data collection sessions, technical meetings and validation workshops in the coming weeks.

The initiative is supported technically and financially by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), under a project aimed at strengthening national and regional capacity to manage climate risks. The project is being implemented jointly with the Ministry of Environment and Forest Resources.

The effort forms part of Togo’s decentralisation drive, which began with the creation of regional councils. In parallel, authorities are preparing Regional Land Use Schemes (SRATs) to provide each region with a coherent and forward-looking spatial planning tool.

This article was initially published in French by Esaïe Edoh

Edited in English by Ola Schad Akinocho