• Togo opens the 15th Global Entrepreneurship Week with events designed to strengthen SME capacity nationwide.
• The EU mobilises IYBA SEED and IYBA Women Empowerment for Africa to support youth and women-led businesses.
• SMEs represent over 80% of Togo’s economic fabric, making the event a policy tool to deepen inclusion and innovation.

Togo opened the 15th edition of the Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) on Monday, 17 November 2025, during an inaugural press conference in Lomé. Organisers anchor this year’s theme around “Ensemble, construisons” (“Let’s build together”).

GEN-Togo, the Agency for the Development of Very Small and Medium Enterprises (ADTPME) and ON-IJD coorganise the event with support from the European Union and German cooperation agency GIZ. Their partnership aims to strengthen national entrepreneurship infrastructure.

Organisers plan to host workshops, conferences, pitch competitions, training sessions and networking platforms throughout Lomé and regional capitals. They intend to reinforce the entrepreneurial culture and give young project owners practical tools to scale their businesses.

GEN-Togo Director General Pascal Edoh Agbové said the edition “aims to inspire the new generation of entrepreneurs and to recognise the essential role of SMEs in the national economy.” The EU backs the event through two regional programmes: IYBA SEED, which targets financing for youth-led enterprises, and IYBA Women Empowerment for Africa, which supports women’s entrepreneurship.

The government positions GEW as a lever for economic opportunity beyond awareness campaigns. The initiative helps structure Togo’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and promotes local innovation, as SMEs account for more than 80% of the economic fabric and a significant share of formal employment.

Organisers expect the week to deepen the link between policy support, financing tools and grassroots enterprise creation in a market where entrepreneurship drives diversification.

This article was initially published in French by R.E.D

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum

Togo’s livestock feed sector will be exempt from import taxes starting in 2026, according to the draft finance bill adopted by the Council of Ministers late last week. The measure will take effect once both chambers of Parliament give their approval.

The government said the exemption is intended to further encourage local meat production. Livestock feed is one of the largest expenses for livestock and poultry farmers.

The exemption is expected to play a central role in the government’s strategy to strengthen food security and the competitiveness of livestock value chains, particularly as part of efforts to promote local consumption. Lowering import taxes should enable farmers to obtain feed at more affordable prices, improving their margins and helping stabilize operations despite volatile global raw material prices.

The policy is also expected to boost domestic production of meat, eggs, and poultry, which could help lower consumer prices and reduce imports of frozen poultry and other meat products.

This tax relief builds on measures implemented in recent years to support local producers. In addition to training programs for farmers and industry stakeholders, the government reinstated an important requirement in February 2025: an order from the Ministry of Fishery and Animal Resources obliges importers of fish, poultry, and related products to purchase at least 10 percent of their intended shipments in local products before receiving an import license.

Esaïe Edoh

• The OTR extends the 20% discount on clearance fees for vehicles over five years old until December 20, 2025.

• The measure targets “stranded” vehicles under customs control to ease congestion and spur imports ahead of year-end.

• Similar incentives return annually and reached 40% during the Covid-19 period in 2021.

The Togolese Revenue Office (OTR) extended to December 20, 2025, the 20% reduction on clearance fees for vehicles older than five years. The agency initially planned to end the measure on November 15. The extension aims to allow more taxpayers to benefit from the discount during the high-traffic end-of-year period.

The tax relief, in effect since September 1, 2025, targets “stranded” vehicles under customs control. The tax administration says the measure seeks to decongest automotive storage areas and encourage fresh imports ahead of the festive season. The OTR adds that the measure complies with the national Customs Code and supports its broader effort to facilitate taxation and promote the release of vehicles awaiting clearance.

Authorities regularly renew this type of incentive at the end of the year. The discount reached as high as 40% in 2021 as part of measures designed to support taxpayers during the Covid-19 crisis.

This article was initially published in French by Esaïe Edoh

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum

A national technology competition called the Tech x Health Challenge was launched on Friday, November 14, 2025, at the Innovation and Technology Hub (UniPod) of the University of Lomé. The initiative is jointly organized by the Ministry of Public Service Efficiency and Digital Transformation and the Ministry of Health, with support from the ProDigiT project implemented by GIZ Togo. Its guiding idea is that digital tools can improve healthcare and save lives.

Speaking at the launch, Kwamivi Hodouto, representing the Minister of Digital Transformation, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to digital technology as a central pillar of Togo’s development under the Togo Digital 2025 strategy. He said the health sector is a priority within this wider effort. “With this competition, we are taking a new step by putting Artificial Intelligence and Data Science at the service of healthcare,” he said.

Nassirou Ouro-Nile, speaking for the Ministry of Health, said the challenge aligns with the government’s push to modernize the health system through digital innovation.

Competition Targets Key Weaknesses in the Health System

According to Farook Sanni, Data Scientist at Togo Data Lab, the competition aims to mobilize participants to design digital solutions addressing several major weaknesses in the system. These include the lack of secure and interoperable medical records, inadequate patient follow-up, errors in medication management, limited access to affordable and high-quality care, overcrowding in health facilities, unreliable data flows and inconsistent monitoring of patients. Sanni said the winning project will be incubated within the Ministry of Health and developed toward implementation.

The competition is open to all Togo residents aged 18 or older who want to apply digital innovation to healthcare. This includes students in computer science, health sciences, data science, design and social innovation; doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other health workers; developers, data scientists, entrepreneurs and researchers working on AI for health; and individuals leading social-impact projects.

Organizers say the goal is to spur innovation in the health sector, encourage collaboration among professionals and researchers, expand the use of data and AI in socially impactful solutions and identify viable projects that can be supported through deployment.

Professional Backing and Need for Regulatory Compliance

Dr. Anthony Békéti, President of the National Order of Physicians of Togo, welcomed the initiative. “This challenge comes at the right time. We are at a turning point where digital tools are becoming essential,” he said. He added that new digital solutions could improve patient care, enhance diagnostic accuracy and reduce the daily workload of health workers.

He also described the challenge as an opportunity for health professionals to work closely with digital experts to build a more responsive, secure and patient-centred system. But he stressed that all projects must comply fully with existing medical laws and regulations.

Registration runs until December 14, 2025. Four awards will be presented: the Excellence in Tech & Health Award, the Applied Research Award, the Best Pitch Award and the Audience Award. Details and registration information are available on the official platform.

S.A

Togo has approved a draft 2026 budget of 2,740.5 billion CFA francs. The figure is up 14.4 percent from the previous year’s, which stood at 2,397 billion CFA francs.

The draft finance bill was approved Friday, November 14, 2025, during the first Council of Ministers under the country's Fifth Republic government.

According to the post-meeting communiqué, the projected budget will prioritize social sectors while incorporating an effort to consolidate public finances. Nearly 48% of the budget is earmarked for social sectors, specifically health, education, and social protection. A significant portion will also be allocated to economic transformation and productive sectors such as agriculture, industry, and digital technology, to stimulate private investment and create sustainable jobs for youth and women.

The budget further includes reinforced allocations for security and defense, targeting national protection and guaranteed stability.

Officials stated the 2026 budget was prepared using a prudent approach and relies heavily on the state's own internal resources. Regarding economic forecasts, the government projects a GDP growth rate of 6.5% in 2026, up from the 6.2% expected for the current year.

The draft finance bill will now be transmitted to the National Assembly for review before being submitted to the Senate, in line with the constitutional provisions of the Fifth Republic.

Esaïe Edoh

• Togo has launched the drafting of its first National Governance Report under the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM). 

• The process aims to evaluate political, economic and social governance and to align national policies with AU Agenda 2063 and the UN SDGs. 

• APRM officials say Togolese institutions will lead the entire evaluation to strengthen national analytical and reporting capacities.

Togo has started preparing its first National Governance Report (NGR) under the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM). Authorities opened a training workshop on 13 November 2025 in Lomé to define the methodological framework and strengthen the drafting teams.

The initiative, supported by the APRM Continental Secretariat, aims to help Togolese institutions take ownership of the evaluation process and analyse national performance in political, economic and social governance.

Clémentine Ninaoumoutou, the APRM continental representative, says: “The process will be entirely led by Togolese actors, with the objective of assessing how institutions achieve their goals and serve citizens.”

Victor Womitso, president of the APRM-Togo commission, welcomed the launch and said it will “strengthen national capacities in governance analysis and reporting.”

The APRM, an African Union body created in 2003, promotes good governance and sustainable development through a voluntary self-assessment system.

The Togolese report will be the first of its kind and will focus on the theme: “Citizens’ access to justice and communal services.” Authorities plan to use the document to measure governance progress and align national policy with the AU’s Agenda 2063 and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

This article was initially published in French by R.E.D

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum

• Faure Gnassingbé met UK Trade Envoy Ben Coleman to advance economic and commercial ties.

• The UK aims to expand investment and financing projects tailored to regional priorities.

• The forum gathered 1,500 participants from ten African countries and UK companies, according to Coleman.

Togo and the United Kingdom strengthened their economic partnership on the sidelines of the 4th UK–Francophone West and Central Africa Forum. President of the Council Faure Gnassingbé held talks on Thursday, 13 November 2025, with Ben Coleman, the UK Trade Envoy for Francophone West Africa. The meeting extended discussions launched during the forum and focused on ways to deepen economic and commercial cooperation.

Ben Coleman said the objective of the meeting was to “deepen relations between the United Kingdom and Francophone West Africa on the commercial level.” He praised the involvement of the Togolese president and the quality of the conference, which gathered 1,500 participants from ten African countries and British companies, according to him.

Coleman emphasised the UK’s intention to broaden its partnerships in the region through investment and financing projects aligned with local priorities. The talks also addressed the implementation of the forum’s conclusions, particularly regarding access to capital, support for SMEs and measures to ease trade flows.

The Togolese side seeks to position the country as an anchor point for the UK in its cooperation with Francophone Africa. Lomé relies on its role as a regional logistics platform to strengthen its attractiveness and to serve as a bridge for British engagement in the region.

This article was initially published in French by R.E.D

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum

• The campaign will run from 24–30 November 2025 and will target children from nine months old nationwide.

• Health authorities warn that measles remains highly contagious and rubella poses major risks for pregnant women.

• The operation includes additional child health interventions and vaccines for pregnant women.

Togo will conduct a nationwide vaccination campaign against measles and rubella from 24 to 30 November 2025. Authorities will target children from the age of nine months as part of the national strategy to eliminate both diseases by 2030. The Ministry of Health aims to strengthen herd immunity across the country as infection risks persist.

The regional health directorate of Greater Lomé announced the initiative during a media briefing on Thursday, 13 November. Officials used the meeting to mobilise community health workers and reinforce public communication ahead of the campaign.

Dr. Tchilalou Maryse Tagba-Pelei, Regional Health Director of Greater Lomé, said measles remains a “highly contagious viral infection capable of causing serious or even fatal complications.” She noted that rubella poses a significant threat to pregnant women because it can cause congenital malformations in the fetus.

The government will complement the vaccination drive with additional child-health interventions. Children will receive vitamin A supplements and albendazole antiparasitic treatment to reinforce overall immunity.

Pregnant women will also receive vaccines against human papillomavirus and cervical cancer as part of the broader maternal health programme.

This article was initially published in French by R.E.D

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum