Togo First
Togo: Equiano cable operational since August
Google’s Equiano submarine Cable has been operational in Togo since August 2023. The news was disclosed earlier this week by Csquared Woezon, the public-private joint venture responsible for managing the cable and offering the internet capacity emanating from it for sale in Togo.
"The cable has been operational since August 2023, and is in operation," said Eudes Gbessi, Csquared Togo country manager. "We have access providers and mobile operators who are already connected to this cable and who, through this cable, offer internet services to Togolese citizens, he added.
Equiano landed in Togo in March 2022, making the country the first in Africa to connect to the cable. President Faure Gnassingbe, himself, was present at the reception, alongside Cina Lawson, the minister of digital economy.
The equipment should offer around 20 times more network capacity than previous structures, and this capacity was meant to be sold to local operators, including TogoCom, Teolis, Café Informatique, but also foreign operators.
Now, however, the country targets neighbors such as Ghana, Benin, and Burkina Faso. It also plans to take advantage of the cable to boost its fiber optic network, serving more cities, all over the territory. In addition, Lomé plans to leverage the cable’s capacities to position itself as a "point of entry" for Internet connectivity in the sub-region.
"We will therefore continue to extend the network to every nook and cranny of the country," said Lanre Kolade, CEO of Csquared Group, to this effect. The joint venture, 44% owned by the Togolese government and 56% by Csquared, has also taken over control of the E-Gouv network, which connects various government departments, and is working to strengthen it as part of the new Internet architecture taking shape.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
Togo: Government meets health workers over upcoming launch of Universal Healthcare
The Togolese government met with representatives of the country’s health industry on November 7, 2023. Held in Lomé, the capital, the meeting focused on Universal Healthcare (Assurance Maladie Universelle, AMU) which is set to be deployed in two months.
The ministers of health, universal access to healthcare and social action, and the head of the Institut National d'Assurance Maladie (National Health Insurance Institute) took part in the meeting. On the occasion, they presented the roadmap for launching the project and called for the involvement of health workers, who hold a key role in the process.
"The goal is not only to provide universal health coverage but also to guarantee quality care. This is indeed the mission of health staff as a whole", said Jean-Marie Tessi, Minister of Universal Access to Healthcare.
Overall, the project aims to guarantee access to essential healthcare to the whole population. It will be steered by the National Health Insurance Institute (INAM) and the National Social Security Fund (CNSS).
Esaïe Edoh
Tech: Togo hosts Make Africa 2023 innovation festival
Make Africa 2023 is currently ongoing in Lomé, the capital of Togo. This is an African festival on tech innovation and maker culture.
This year, the theme of the festival is “Faire Ensemble”(Do Together). Around 300 innovators, from different Fablabs (local laboratories focused on invention, creation, and research), will take part in the event. They are all from French-speaking African countries.
The forum will host conferences, workshops, and demonstrations, to show the world more of the potential of young innovators, and above all to catalyze and promote technological innovation within the continent's Faire spaces. This, in particular, by encouraging collaboration, diversity, and entrepreneurship, and by strengthening the digital skills of all concerned.
"We want to create an inclusive and dynamic community where talents meet, ideas are exchanged and technological innovation can be stimulated. The event offers a unique opportunity for participants from all backgrounds to collaborate, learn from each other, and help shape a prosperous digital future for Africa," said Médard Agbayazon, president of the Francophone Network of West African Fablabs. The latter regroups around 30 Fablabs.
Started on November 7, the Make Africa 2023 Festival ends on November 11. Previous editions were hosted in Cotonou and Abidjan.
MCC 2024: Togo validates 14 indicators, like in 2023
Togo has validated 14 out of 20 performance indicators for the MCC 2024. The score, which is the same as for the MCC 2023, was presented by the MCA-Togo Cell to the local press on November 8, in Lomé.
In detail, the West African country validated 7 out of 8 indicators in the "economic freedom" category, 5 out of 6 in "governing justly" and 2 out of 6 at the level of "investment in human capital"; the same as in 2023.
According to the scorecard, Togo failed to validate the "Political rights" (it scored 15, against a minimum requirement of 17), "Immunization rate", (with a score of 76.5, against a median of 76.5), "Fiscal policy" (with a score of -6.7 against a median of -4.1), "Health expenditure" (with a score of 1.24 against a median of 1.36), "Natural resource protection" (with a score of 41.1 versus a median of 41.5) and "Child health", (with a score of 54.1 versus a median of 59.6).
"With this score of 14 over 20, Togo is still eligible for the Threshold program and the formulation of the Compact," says MCA-Togo coordinator Stanislas BABA.
Togo became eligible for the MCC’s Compact Program in December 2022, after several years of reforms and positioning on this American funding program. The country intends to finalize its "Compact" agreement with the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) until the end of 2024.
Esaïe Edoh
Togo’s SDG Investor Map will be ready by the end of 2024, Government says
Togo’s SDG Investor Map should be ready by the end of the coming year. Gathered earlier this week in Lomé, several stakeholders of the sector (ed. Note: investment) have kicked off initiatives to achieve this goal.
Launched by the Togolese Ministry for Investment Promotion and the UNDP, the map project aims to boost access to the financial space of the country, relative to SDG implementation.
The map will provide data, and investment opportunities that are likely to contribute to sustainable growth. These investments will mostly be in the following sectors: education, health, clean energy, industry, poverty-fighting, access to clean water, environment. The data featured on the map will be integrated into the UNDP’s global SDG Investor Platform.
"The map will help accelerate the government's objectives, and hence SDGs," said the acting director of the Investment Promotion Agency and Free Zone (API-ZF), Atsouvi Yawo Sikpa.
To date, about 40 countries worldwide (including 10 in Africa) have already finalized their map.
Octave A. Bruce
AGOA: Togo pleads for 10-year extension of the program
Several African countries want the U.S. African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) adopted in 2000 to run for 10 years more. Togo is one of them. Representing her country at the 20th African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Forum, the Togolese minister of trade, Kayi Mivedor, pleaded for the extension. Held on November 2-4 in Johannesburg, South Africa, the Forum’s theme was "Partnering to Build a Resilient, Sustainable, and Inclusive AGOA to Support Economic Development, Industrialization and Quality Job Creation".
During the forum, the Togolese minister underscored how Togo benefits from the AGOA, saying: "Access to the US market under AGOA has contributed to the development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), particularly those run by women and young people in the textile and agri-food sectors."
The Act has also “helped attract investment in industrialization programs, leading to the creation of thousands of jobs", according to the official.
Mivedor then stressed that extending the AGOA would help secure “new investors, and increase investments to support various industrialization programs”.
According to the U.S. representation at the meeting, the request for extension will be "studied thoroughly " by the US Congress.
A transformative tool for strengthening inclusive prosperity in sub-Saharan Africa, AGOA offers duty-free access to the U.S. market for over 6,800 different products.
Esaïe Edoh
Inclusive Finance: Ministry of social action financially supports hundreds of women in Greater Lomé
Nearly 240 of women living in the Greater Lomé region received CFA80,000 each from the government on November 7, 2023. The financing falls under the "Leadership, Economic Empowerment of Women and Girls, and the Fight against Gender-based Violence" project, initiated by the Ministry of Social Action and Women Promotion and the French Embassy in Togo.
The donation ceremony took place in the presence of Apédoh-Anakoma Adjovi Lolonyo, who heads the ministry, and French Ambassador Augustin Favereau.
While the funds will help beneficiaries start or grow businesses, their provision falls under a larger project to empower women and girls, economically, and fight gender-based violence.
Overall, 500 women will receive financial support under the project. Also, 11 training workshops will be organized across the country in its framework.
Regarding monitoring, the project’s organizers said it would be handled by listening centers. The goal is to ensure the success of financed initiatives and help beneficiaries make the most of the funds received. The beneficiaries' workplaces will also be visited to make sure their businesses are viable and provide them with technical support and advice.
"You should therefore see this support as an opportunity for you to get out of your precarious situation. With this fund, you will be able to initiate an activity or strengthen the one you are already carrying out", Apédoh-Anakoma Adjovi Lolonyo, Minister for Social Action, the Promotion of Women and Literacy, told beneficiaries.
Super App Gozem announces acquisition of Benin-based fintech Moneex
Gozem, the African transport and delivery super App, just announced it has acquired Moneex, a Benin-based startup that offers multi-currency account services for international finance and payments.
“We are pleased to welcome Moneex to the Gozem family, bringing talented entrepreneurs has always been extremely valuable in our ability to innovate. With a lot of excitement, the new fintech chapter of Gozem is officially open,” says Jean-Martial Moulaud, Group Director of Gozem.
In response, Florent Ogoutchoro, Co-Founder and CEO of Moneex, said “We are thrilled to be joining Gozem, a company that shares our vision for a more inclusive and innovative financial future in Africa.”
Ogoutchoro co-founded Moneex in 2021 with Henry Ukoha, to provide Global Banking services to businesses and consumers across the continent.
Gozem Money
By acquiring their company, Gozem aims to expand into the fintech sector. The super App will start offering fintech services in Q1 2024, initially. New features will be added to the super App under the "Gozem Money" umbrella, thus providing a wide range of payment solutions and an enriched fintech experience.
Founded in 2018 in Togo, Gozem initially offered transportation services, by bikes, tricycles, and cabs, before expanding to include delivery and logistics. Acquiring Moneex is a further step in the development of the Lomé-based company.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
Togo: 3rd Edition of MIATO ends on a successful note
The third edition of the Marché international de l'artisanat du Togo (MIATO) (International Fair of Craftsmanship of Togo) ended on November 5, 2023. The closing ceremony was attended by Togo’s Minister of trade and local consumption, Rose Kayi Mivedor. On the same occasion, several prizes were awarded to some of the participants.
The prizes include the Special Award of the Head of State which covers the participation of recipients in any African fair of their choice outside the country. The two recipients of this award are Nadiaka and Pagne Africain–they are Togolese craft companies.
The other prize is the Innovation Award which was won by Traoré Mahamadou from Mali, Kawe Eyaheza (Togo), and Frank Adomalinkpo (Benin). The three respectively came first, second, and third in this category, grabbing CFA1 million, CFA600,000, and CFA400,000.
Under the Excellence Award category, three Togolese entrepreneurs were picked. They are Ekue Adoté, who came first and grabbed CFA650,000, Offissa Kokou Dodji who came second (CFA500,000), and Kadjala Nieky (CFA350,000).
Prizes were also given to the youngest exhibitor, Ornella Iyatan, and Gaba Ayité, who won the prize for the most beautiful stand. All Encouragement Award winners received a cheque for CFA100,000.
The Month of Local Consumption also ended the same day the MIATO did. The minister of trade, Rosa Kayi Mivedor, lauded the success of both events, which, she claimed, reinforced the ties between craftsmanship and local consumption.
This year, the MIATO registered over 800 exhibitors, from Togo, Belgium, Tunisia, Cameroon, Gabon, Chad, Burkina Faso, Benin, Mali, and many more. Mali was the guest of honor for this edition.
Togo, Benin, Burkina Faso launch 2nd phase of joint program to tackle border conflicts and extremism
Togo, Benin, and Burkina Faso launched the second phase of the Support Program for the Prevention of Conflict and Violent Extremism in Border Areas last weekend in Lomé. This is a new milestone in the neighboring countries' commitment to tackling community conflicts.
Through this project, the three countries will tackle issues contributing to fragility in border areas and make these areas more resilient to insecurity-induced shocks.
In Togo, this new phase will primarily focus on strengthening endogenous mechanisms for preventing and responding to community conflicts at local and cross-border levels. Next, it will focus on boosting the socio-economic resilience of women and young people who live in border areas, supported by the Togo office of the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
According to Baneto Béguèdouwè, Secretary General of the Togolese Ministry of Development Planning, this second phase will enable Togo to move forward with its strategy for creating a peaceful, just, and inclusive society, free from fear and violence.
Launched in 2020, the project is financially and technically backed by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).