Togo First
Oragroup Posts Record H1 Profit After 2024 Loss
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Oragroup swung to a record net profit of CFA18.3 billion ($28 million) in H1 2025, after a CFAF 13.9 billion loss in 2024.
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Results were driven by higher revenues, lower cost-to-income ratio, and reduced credit risk charges.
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Deposits topped CFA3,000 billion, but loan growth slowed, raising concerns for SME financing.
Oragroup SA, the Lomé-based pan-African banking group, reported a record net profit of CFAF 18.3 billion ($28 million) for the first half of 2025, bouncing back from a CFA13.9 billion loss in 2024. It is the lender’s best performance since inception.
Operating profit reached CFA26.2 billion, more than double the level a year earlier. The bank attributed the turnaround to strong revenue growth, tighter cost control and a sharp drop in risk provisions, which fell to -CFA3.7 billion.
The lender said it continued cleaning up its loan book while adopting stricter lending standards. Deposits climbed past CFA3,000 billion, supported by a growing customer base. However, slower loan disbursements could weigh on SME financing, a key driver of regional economies.
“The results recorded in the first half of 2025 mark a turning point for Orabank,” CEO Ferdinand Ngon-Kemoum said. “The return to solid profitability reflects the relevance of the strategic choices made in recent years and the commitment of all our teams.”
He added that the bank will continue to execute its board-approved development plan, aimed at strengthening financial fundamentals, diversifying revenue sources and accelerating digital transformation.
Oragroup also highlighted its growing focus on social and environmental impact projects under its ESG strategy. Still, some decisions raise investor questions. The bank’s withdrawal from Fitch Ratings in favor of Bloomfield and Moody’s may be seen as an attempt to reduce exposure to stricter international standards.
The sharp swing from loss to record profit raises concerns about the sustainability of such gains, especially if part of the performance is tied to one-off measures.
Oragroup operates in 12 West and Central African countries including Togo, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, Mauritania, Senegal and Chad.
This article was initially published in French by Ayi Renaud Dossavi
Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum
Togo’s CNSS Launches AMU Card Issuance Drive Until Oct. 15
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CNSS is running a special campaign until Oct. 15, 2025, to update data and issue universal health insurance (AMU) cards.
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The operation targets retirees and beneficiaries who worked in other West African countries but collect pensions via CNSS-Togo.
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A three-month waiting period will follow, with benefits effective from Jan. 1, 2026.
Togo’s Social Security Fund (CNSS) said it is conducting a special campaign until Oct. 15, 2025, to update records and issue universal health insurance (AMU) cards.
The operation covers retirees and annuitants who previously worked in Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Niger and Senegal but receive their benefits through CNSS-Togo. Eligible beneficiaries include widows, widowers and orphans.
Applicants must present supporting documents, including legalized records, a national ID or passport, and a passport photo with a white background.
The CNSS said a three-month grace period will run from October to December 2025, with services under the AMU scheme becoming effective on Jan. 1, 2026.
This article was initially published in French by Ayi Renaud Dossavi
Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum
Togo’s Coffee and Cocoa Exports Jump 50% in 2024-2025 Season
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Togo exported 4,400 tons of coffee and 24,000 tons of cocoa in 2024-2025, up from 2,618 tons and 11,182 tons the previous season.
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The growth follows the adoption of coffee-cocoa development plans aimed at improving productivity, quality, processing, and marketing.
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Both sectors have rebounded steadily since 2021, when exports dropped sharply due to market and production challenges.
Togo’s coffee and cocoa exports rose by about 50% during the 2024-2025 marketing season, compared with the previous year. The Coffee-Cocoa Sector Coordination Committee (CCFCC) released the figures during the launch of the 2025-2026 sales campaign in Kpalimé last week.
Coffee exports increased to 4,400 tons from 2,618 tons in 2023-2024. Cocoa shipments reached 24,000 tons, up from 11,182 tons in the prior season.
Officials attributed the surge to the implementation of Coffee-Cocoa Development Plans (PDCC) adopted a year ago. The strategies focus on sustainable productivity, higher quality, greater local processing, and stronger marketing both domestically and internationally.
The CCFCC also expanded oversight by hiring 11 additional product inspectors, raising the total to 16. It launched training initiatives and anti-smuggling efforts to strengthen the sector’s governance.
Togo’s coffee and cocoa industries have recovered after sharp declines in 2021. Coffee exports fell 23% that year to 2,000 tons from 2,600 tons in 2020, while cocoa shipments halved to 5,400 tons from 10,600 tons. Exports have climbed steadily since then.
Authorities say the goal is to make the sectors more competitive and wealth-generating by 2030.
This article was initially published in French by Esaïe Edoh
Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum
SEA Foundation provides young agripreneurs with tricycles for easier market access
Highlights
- Five tricycles handed over to young agricultural entrepreneurs to ease transport of produce.
- Equipment reduces costs and helps increase financial capacity for small-scale producers.
- Initiative is part of SEA Foundation’s broader program supporting youth in agribusiness, with UNDP as a partner.
Under one of its agribusiness incubation programs, the Sheyi Emmanuel Adebayor Foundation (SEA Foundation) delivered five three-wheeled vehicles to young agripreneurs last week.
The vehicles will help recipients move their produce to markets with more ease. The move addresses a common challenge for young producers whose sales are slowed by transportation difficulties. One of the recipients, Essognim Louka, an agripreneur from the program’s second cohort, said, “This tricycle will significantly reduce my transportation costs and therefore increase my financial capacity.”
The SEA Foundation has also supported participants through training in agriculture, project structuring, business management, and the development of income-generating activities along agricultural value chains. While the tricycles mark the completion of one stage, ongoing monitoring of beneficiaries will continue.
Supported by partners including the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the initiative aligns with the Foundation’s vision of making agricultural entrepreneurship a key driver of youth employment in Togo, with regular training provided in the Plateaux region.
Esaïe Edoh
Togo’s post office wins UPU award in Dubaï for best customer service
Highlights
- Togo Postal Service receives 2024 Best Customer Service Award for EMS at the 28th UPU Congress in Dubai.
- Award recognizes reliability and efficiency in international mail delivery.
- Recognition highlights Togo among top African postal operators and supports future expansion into financial services.
At the 28th Universal Postal Union (UPU) Congress in Dubai, Togo was honored for excellence in postal services. The Togo Postal Service (La Poste) won the 2024 Best Customer Service Award for its Express Mail Service (EMS), praised for its speed, reliability, and efficiency in international mail delivery.
Kwasi Kwadzo Dzodzro, CEO of La Poste, highlighted the significance of the award: “This distinction reflects the trust of users and the commitment of our teams.”
With 192 member countries, the UPU recognizes only a select group of African postal operators, placing Togo in a distinguished circle.
The award comes at a time when postal services worldwide are adapting to digital transformation and evolving consumer expectations. La Poste aims to leverage its reputation to expand access to financial services, particularly in rural and peri-urban areas, enhancing the visibility and attractiveness of public services across Togo.
Togo’s Chamber of Commerce to release updated business guide
Highlights
- New edition launches Sept. 25, 2025, in partnership with Focus Yakou.
- Guide covers taxation, regulations, financing, and commercial practices.
- Last edition was published in 2020 amid major structural projects.
The Togo Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI-Togo) has updated its Practical Guide to Doing Business in Togo. The new guide, scheduled for release on September 25, 2025, was produced in collaboration with the Focus Yakou agency.
The publication provides updated information on taxation, regulations, financing, and business practices. Its purpose is to serve as a reliable tool for investors and economic operators, helping them navigate procedures and make informed decisions.
The last edition, released in December 2020, was framed around a roundtable discussion on “Opportunities and challenges of ongoing structural and strategic transformation in Togo,” with particular emphasis on flagship projects such as the Adétikopé Industrial Platform (PIA).
Five years on, the 2025 edition comes in a different context—one marked by priorities of consolidating achievements, attracting foreign investment, and adapting to the challenges of digital transformation.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
Togo launches plan to bring AI into technical education
Highlights
- Policy process kicked off Sept. 23 in Lomé.
- Goal is to align TVET with AI-driven innovation and SDG 4.
- Final strategy expected by early 2026 with OIF support.
Togo has begun drafting a policy to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into its technical education and vocational training (TVET) system. The process was officially launched on Sept. 23 in Lomé, the Ministry of Technical Education announced.
“AI is more than timely and of definite interest: it will enable the TVET system to play its full part in a strong, inclusive, competitive economy that generates decent and sustainable jobs, capable of reducing poverty and vulnerability,” said Minister Isaac Tchiakpé.
According to the ministry, AI could help address key 21st-century education challenges, from modernizing teaching methods to speeding progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 4.
The work will be carried out by a committee of local stakeholders under a participatory approach, with the final document expected in early 2026. The project has financial backing from the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF).
Esaïe Edoh
Togo leans on port sector as fleet contracts
Highlights
- Sea trade makes up 90% of commerce, 75% of tax revenues.
- National fleet dropped 11.6% in 2023 amid bulk carrier slowdown.
- Lomé faces rising competition from Ghana and Nigeria ports.
Nearly 90% of Togo’s trade moves through maritime routes, generating three-quarters of tax revenues, UNCTAD said in a recent note. The Port Autonome de Lomé anchors this role, serving the Sahel and acting as a transshipment hub on the Gulf of Guinea.
But challenges are emerging. The national fleet shrank 11.6% in 2023, dragged down by weaker bulk carrier traffic. Container and tanker activity rose, but not enough to offset the fall.
Authorities see new potential in the blue economy. Fishing already provides 4.5% of farm GDP and over 20,000 jobs. Aquaculture, coastal tourism, and marine renewables are flagged as future growth engines.
Togo is investing with partners such as MSC to defend Lomé’s hub status. Yet competition is heating up, with Tema in Ghana and Lekki in Nigeria expanding capacity to capture regional trade.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
Togo Steps Up Forest Restoration With New National Working Group
Highlights
- National Working Group launched to steer Togo’s Forest Landscape Restoration project.
- Goal: restore 1.4 million hectares of degraded land by 2030.
- Initiative backed by German and Luxembourg cooperation through Forest4Future.
Togo has launched a new phase of its Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR) project with the creation of a National Working Group (GNT). The body, which will serve as a steering committee, held its first meeting on September 18 in Sokodé to review challenges and accelerate ongoing actions.
The two-day session was organized by the Ministry of the Environment and Forest Resources, with support from the German development agency GIZ under the Forest4Future (F4F) project. Officials and partners assessed progress to date and drafted a roadmap for the operationalization of the GNT.
The FLR project aims to restore 1.4 million hectares of degraded land in the Tchaoudjo prefecture by 2030. It forms part of the broader pan-African AFR100 initiative, targeting the restoration of one billion trees across the continent.
The Forest4Future program, supported by Togo, Germany, and Luxembourg, seeks to integrate reforestation and landscape restoration into national development strategies while strengthening forest governance and coherence across interventions.
Esaïe Edoh
Togo Elected to IAEA Board of Governors for 2025–2027
Highlights:
- Togo secures a seat on the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board from 2025 to 2027.
- The move strengthens national ambitions in civil nuclear energy, health, and agriculture.
- Challenges remain over regulation, safety, and technical expertise.
Togo has been elected to the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for the 2025–2027 term, during the Agency’s 69ᵉ General Conference in Vienna, Austria. The country will serve alongside ten others, including Niger, Portugal, and Saudi Arabia, on one of the most influential global nuclear governance bodies.
The IAEA Board examines and approves budgets, work programs, and membership applications, while also validating nuclear safeguards and publishing international safety standards. For Togo, a seat on the Board offers both international visibility and a platform to align national projects with global benchmarks.
At home, the government has stepped up its nuclear agenda. In January 2025, it launched the Commissariat à l’Énergie Atomique (CEAT) to drive research, training, and applications of nuclear technologies in health, agriculture, and energy. An agreement with U.S.-based Nano Nuclear Energy further opens the way for deploying micro-reactors for electricity generation.
Despite these ambitions, the country faces major hurdles. These include the lack of a comprehensive legal and regulatory framework, limited technical and technological capacity, and the need to ensure nuclear safety and radiological protection. Adequate funding also remains a critical factor.
With this new position at the IAEA, Togo hopes to attract external investment, secure technical partnerships, and gain influence in shaping the future of civil nuclear power.