Highlights:

• Prof. Houzou Mouzou Grâce Prénam named President of the University of Kara.
• Milestone for female representation in academic leadership.
• Prof. Kossivi Hounakey takes over at the University of Lomé.

For the first time in Togo’s history, a woman has been appointed to head a public university. Professor Houzou Mouzou Grâce Prénam, a lieutenant colonel physician and rheumatologist, is now the President of the University of Kara. She also becomes the institution’s first-ever president.

Professor Grâce Prénam has led the rheumatology department at Kara University Hospital since 2012. In her new role, she plans to expand research, foster international cooperation, and make the university more attractive to students from across the region. Her appointment is seen as a landmark for women in academic leadership in Togo.

At the University of Lomé, the country’s largest higher education institution with more than 60,000 students, Professor Kossivi Hounakey has been named president. A public law scholar and former Minister of Commerce, he succeeds Professor Adama Mawulé Kpodar after serving in office for two years. His priorities include strengthening governance, improving teaching quality, and deepening partnerships with the private sector and international institutions.

Both appointments come as Togo pushes to modernize higher education and align it with national development goals. Education takes more than 10% of the state budget, reflecting its role in competitiveness, innovation, and regional integration.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Highlights:

• Access channel deepened to 18.6m, turning circle widened to 550m.
  
• Part of €120m investment plan to raise capacity to 2.5m TEUs by 2027.
  
• Port seeks to stay ahead of growing Gulf of Guinea competition.
  

The Lomé Container Terminal (LCT) has completed dredging works worth €7.5 million ($8m), enabling the port to handle fully loaded vessels of up to 24,000 TEUs. An official ceremony to celebrate the completion was held on September 19, 2025, attended by port officials, customs representatives, and government delegates.

The project, carried out from July 31 to September 16, deepened the access channel to 18.6 meters and expanded the turning circle to 550 meters.

LCT, a joint venture between China Merchants Port Holdings and MSC’s Terminal Investment Limited, said the dredging is part of a €120 million infrastructure and equipment program running through 2027. The plan also includes dock reinforcement, upgraded fendering systems, and two new ship-to-shore cranes.

“These works are part of an €80 billion CFA franc investment program designed to handle new-generation ships and raise annual capacity from 2 million to 2.5 million TEUs,” said Tim Vancampen, Managing Director of LCT.

The expansion is expected to generate 150 direct jobs while strengthening Lomé’s position as a transshipment hub.

The investments come amid mounting competition in the Gulf of Guinea, where Tema, Abidjan, Lagos and Lekki are vying for traffic. Analysts note that Lomé retains an edge in depth and transshipment, but long-term differentiation will depend on faster port calls, efficient customs systems and stronger feeder links to the Sahel.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Highlights:

• New system blocks tariff benefits without verified certificates of origin.
• Measure aims to secure state revenues and uphold trade commitments.
• OTR stresses transparency and traceability in customs procedures.

The Togolese Revenue Office (OTR) has introduced stricter controls on the origin of imported goods. Commissioner General Philippe Tchodie announced the measure in a note to customs agents, importers, exporters and consignees.

The change adds a blocking field in the ASYCUDA system, preventing traders from applying preferential tariff codes without first proving the goods’ origin. Declarations must now include a valid certificate of origin and its reference number. If not, the system blocks the customs procedure automatically.

The OTR said the measure will help ensure fair tax collection, safeguard the economy, and limit counterfeit or prohibited imports. It also aligns with Togo’s international trade obligations.

“By controlling seriously, the OTR limits fraud and secures the tax revenues that finance the State budget,” the institution noted, stressing the importance of transparency in tariff regimes.

Esaïe Edoh

Highlights:

• 25 Togolese trainees pursue ECOWAS solar skills certification in Lomé.
• Program part of GIZ-funded project linking water, energy and food security.
• Training supports Togo’s goal of 50% renewable energy share by 2030.

ECOWAS is backing a training program in Lomé this week to certify 25 Togolese electro-solar technicians under its regional ECSES scheme. The session, held Sept. 22–26 and hosted by Kya Energy Group, is the first of its kind in Togo. Trainees from all five regions are preparing for exams on domestic solar photovoltaic systems.

The initiative falls under the GIZ-financed Nexus Water-Energy-Food Security project, overseen by the ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE). It aims to strengthen local expertise in installing, maintaining, and troubleshooting solar systems.

Kya Energy Group’s director, Yao Azoumah, said, “Training a new generation of qualified technicians will guarantee the sustainability of solar projects and the autonomy of communities.” 

The ECSES program standardizes renewable energy skills across the region, with Level 1 for off-grid installers and Level 2 for mini-grid specialists.

The effort aligns with Togo’s plan to raise renewable energy’s share to 50% by 2030, with 400 MW of solar capacity targeted, much of it off-grid to expand electricity access.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Highlights

• Togo marked African Technology and Intellectual Property Day, joining other OAPI member states in celebrating innovation.
  
• Minister of Industry stressed IP as a driver of growth and industrial transformation, urging African nations to turn knowledge into opportunity.
  
• Togo has invested in IP infrastructure, including a documentation center and training programs, to strengthen national innovation capacity.
  

Togo joined fellow members of the African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI) last Saturday to celebrate the 26th African Technology and Intellectual Property Day. The event coincided with OAPI’s 63rd anniversary.

In an official message, Manuella Santos, Togo’s Minister of Industry and Investment Promotion — also OAPI’s administrator for Togo — underscored the importance of intellectual property (IP) as a lever for economic growth and industrial transformation.

This year’s theme, “Intellectual Property, Human Resources and Africa’s Technological Development,” highlighted the role of innovation in shaping Africa’s future.

A Regional Advantage for Innovators

OAPI brings together 17 African countries under a single framework. Today, any patent, trademark, or design filed through OAPI is automatically recognized across all member states, significantly reducing costs for inventors and businesses.

“Our countries must rely on their knowledge and talents to build a dynamic industrial sector,” Santos said, calling for every idea to be transformed into opportunity and every invention into shared wealth.

Togo’s Investments in IP Infrastructure

Since 2020, Togo has operated an Intellectual Property Documentation Center, financed by OAPI for 500 million CFA francs. The center provides researchers and entrepreneurs with technical and legal resources to support innovation.

The Minister also highlighted the African Academy of Intellectual Property, which has been training new generations of specialists for two decades, and praised the contributions of Togolese graduates.

Making IP Part of National Strategy

Sustainable technological development, the Minister noted, requires the integration of IP into education, research, industrialization, and investment policies. She emphasized that under President Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé’s leadership, Togo has sought to place IP at the center of its development strategy to boost competitiveness at both regional and international levels.

Finally, Santos called for stronger international cooperation to foster “a creative and prosperous economy” and to make Africa “a land of innovation that shines in the world.”

Highlights

• Togo has launched its preparations for COP30, set for November 2025 in Belém, Brazil.
  
• Environment Minister Foli-Bazi Katari met with six international partners, including UN agencies and the German Embassy, to mobilize support.
  
• An inter-ministerial committee will draft Togo’s priority framework, to be validated with partners before submission.

As the countdown to the 30th UN Climate Conference (COP30) begins, Togo has started shaping its position. From September 8 to 12, Environment Minister Foli-Bazi Katari held a series of meetings in Lomé with six international partners to secure backing for the country’s proposals.

The institutions included the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), International Organization for Migration (IOM), UNICEF, World Health Organization (WHO), World Food Program (WFP), and the German Embassy. Discussions centered on the priorities Togo plans to present at COP30 and on strategies to strengthen its negotiating position.

“Going to or returning from the COP,  empty-handed, is not an option,” Katari stressed.

The input collected during the consultations will be reviewed by an inter-ministerial committee tasked with drafting a framework document. This paper will group the main priorities Togo intends to defend in Belém.

Once finalized, the draft will be shared in a follow-up session with development partners for validation, ensuring broad alignment before the international negotiations.

Scheduled for November 10–21, 2025 in Belém, COP30 will gather global leaders to negotiate climate action and financing. For Togo, the process now underway is designed to guarantee that the country enters the talks with clear priorities, partner support, and a stronger chance of securing tangible commitments.

Esaïe Edoh

• ECOWAS launched a two-day seminar in Lomé to strengthen financial governance and anti-money laundering efforts.

• The GIABA faces severe budget constraints, threatening its ability to conduct evaluations and support member states.

• Shifting threats and political instability — including the planned exit of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger — heighten regional risks.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) opened a two-day awareness seminar in Lomé on September 15, targeting members of its Administration and Finance Committee (CAF). The event, led by the Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA), aims to strengthen budget decision-makers’ understanding of the fight against money laundering, terrorist financing, and the proliferation of weapons.

The opening session drew several senior officials, including Tchaa Bignossi Aquiteme, head of Togo’s Financial Intelligence Unit (CENTIF), GIABA Director General Edwin W. Harris Jr., and Anakpa Essokiza, Director General of Togo’s Budget Office. Representatives from the ECOWAS Commission and the organization’s Lomé office also attended.

Aquiteme stressed the importance of strict compliance with international standards, which he considers vital to preserving the integrity of West Africa’s financial systems and maintaining investor confidence.

Budget Pressures on GIABA

Behind the formal speeches lies a deeper financial challenge. Since 2023, economic and political crises in the region have reduced community resources and delayed member-state contributions, forcing GIABA to scale back its programs. Technical assistance and mutual evaluations have both been affected.

The Lomé seminar is expected to secure stronger budget commitments from the CAF, starting in 2026. Harris warned that without sustainable financing, GIABA will struggle to prepare for its third cycle of evaluations, also set to begin in 2026.

“It is about ensuring long-term funding so GIABA can continue supporting national reforms, building state capacity, and leading mutual evaluations,” Harris said.

Evolving Threats

GIABA’s latest annual report, released in May, highlights the region’s growing vulnerabilities. Criminal networks are exploiting trade and banking systems to finance terrorism, while illicit flows continue to penetrate national economies. Virtual assets present fresh regulatory challenges, and non-financial professions such as real estate and currency exchange remain exposed.

Political instability compounds the risks. The announced withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger from ECOWAS could leave those states without a regional oversight framework. GIABA has opened talks with them about possible standalone membership, but uncertainty remains.

Togo’s National Efforts

As host, Togo showcased its own reforms. In recent years, Lomé has overhauled its legal framework, completed a national risk assessment, adopted a multi-year anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing strategy, and undergone peer evaluation. Implementation of the recommendations is ongoing, including capacity-building for the CENTIF and sector-specific assessments.

These advances reflect political will, Aquiteme said, while adding that lasting progress requires stronger regional cooperation. “Beyond laws, the fight against money laundering and terrorist financing demands visible commitment from the highest authorities.”

The seminar is expected to deliver concrete commitments from CAF members, particularly on budget allocations to GIABA. Discussions will also cover adapting to new financial technologies, strengthening collective compliance, and improving understanding of the threat landscape.

For ECOWAS, the stakes are high. As financial crime grows more sophisticated and transnational, national responses alone will not suffice. Regional coordination, sustainable funding, and political resolve are all essential.

Fiacre E. Kakpo

• Togo’s economy expanded 6.5% in 2024, up from 6.2% a year earlier, with nominal GDP topping CFA 6,000 billion for the first time.

• Growth was driven by infrastructure projects, agriculture and construction, notably the Adétikopé industrial platform and a 44.7% surge in the building sector.

• Some industries struggled — electricity, wood and building materials posted steep declines — while the IMF warned of budget pressures from rising security spending.

Togo’s economy held its momentum in 2024, with real GDP growth estimated at 6.5%, according to new figures from the National Statistics Committee.

The pace builds on 2023’s 6.2% expansion and marks a milestone: nominal GDP crossed the CFA 6,000 billion threshold for the first time, reaching 6,458 billion, up from 5,954 billion a year earlier. This performance places Lomé ahead of many peers in the West African Economic and Monetary Union, where average growth was 5.5%.

Growth was fueled by a sharp rebound at the end of the year. The economy surged 17.7% in the fourth quarter compared with the same period in 2023, offsetting a 5.8% contraction in the first quarter.

Much of the dynamism stems from public investment under the 2020–2025 roadmap. Infrastructure projects are central, notably the Adétikopé industrial platform, which became fully operational in 2024. The site now hosts over 15 industrial units, ranging from soybean processing to textiles and assembly plants. It has created nearly 2,000 direct jobs, with 7,000 expected by the end of 2025.

Linked agricultural zones (ZAAP) boosted food production, pushing primary sector growth to 5.9%. At the same time, the Port of Lomé handled a record 30.6 million tonnes of traffic, including more than 2 million containerized TEUs, reinforcing its role as a regional hub.

Digitization of customs, payments, and administrative services has also lifted productivity in the tertiary sector. Construction stood out most, expanding 44.7% and contributing 1.5 percentage points to overall GDP growth.

Still, not all industries have advanced. Textiles shrank 9.1% in 2023 before edging back in 2024. Wood fell 22%, while electricity generation dropped 42.1%. Building materials output plunged 60%. The IMF has warned that these structural weaknesses, alongside rising security costs in the north, pose risks to the outlook.

By contrast, the food industry grew 5.2%, metallurgy 23.1%, and extractives 25.5%. Inflation eased to 2.3% from 2.9% in 2023, preserving household purchasing power and sustaining demand.

Authorities now face the challenge of turning this momentum into durable, broad-based development.

Fiacre E. Kakpo

• Togo's economy rebounds strongly from COVID with steady 6.5% growth in 2024, reaching a historic 6,458 billion FCFA GDP milestone 

• Country outpaces WAEMU average of 5.5% while maintaining inflation control at 2.3%, preserving consumer purchasing power 

• Growth driven by infrastructure investment, industrial platform development, and port modernization, though rising security costs pose sustainability challenges

Togo has maintained robust economic momentum following its COVID-19 recovery, posting steady growth that outpaces regional averages while keeping inflation in check. After the economy slowed to 2.2% in 2020 due to border closures and disrupted international trade, recovery proved immediate and sustained.

Growth accelerated from 5.1% in 2021 to 6.3% in 2022, 6.2% in 2023, and 6.5% in 2024. The economy reached a historic milestone last year as nominal GDP surpassed 6,000 billion FCFA, hitting 6,458 billion compared to 5,954 billion in 2023. This trajectory positions Togo among the West African Economic and Monetary Union's most dynamic economies.

The country has managed to stay on course despite external shocks, with resilience rooted in strong domestic demand. Households maintained consumption levels while companies continued production, and the state sustained investment. Budget execution through March 2025 confirms infrastructure remains a government priority, with officials choosing to support growth even at the cost of temporary deficit increases amid growing security challenges.

The 2020-2025 roadmap provided the policy framework. The Adétikopé industrial platform established itself as a key industrialization and logistics hub. Planned agricultural zones boosted rural productivity and secured food crops. The Port of Lomé, already West Africa's leading container hub, continued modernization efforts. Digital transformation of public and financial services accelerated, supporting tertiary sector growth.

Regional comparisons highlight Togo's success. WAEMU average growth peaked at 5.5% in 2024, while neighboring heavyweights Nigeria and Ghana saw recovery hampered by currency tensions and high inflation. Togo contained price rises to 2.9% in 2023 and 2.3% in 2024, preserving purchasing power and supporting consumption.

However, momentum faces challenges. The IMF warns about rising security spending linked to northern attacks and a growing public debt trajectory. Financing needs are expanding, forcing increased reliance on regional financial markets where state competition intensifies. "The challenge is not so much to grow as to finance this growth without compromising sustainability," notes a local banker.

For now, investors remain responsive. The business climate stays attractive as the country leverages its logistical position to attract capital and regional headquarters.

Fiacre E. Kakpo