• 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

Togo’s mediation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) crisis has gained European Union (EU) backing. On July 1, 2025, Togolese President Faure Gnassingbé met with Johan Borgstam, the EU Special Representative for the Great Lakes region, in Lomé.

During the talks, Borgstam confirmed the EU’s readiness to support Togo’s mediation efforts. “I reaffirmed to the President of the Council the European Union’s commitment to support the various ongoing mediation efforts,” Borgstam said.

Togo, mandated by the African Union (AU), has already helped broker progress in the DRC conflict. On June 27, Togolese diplomats joined a ministerial delegation in Washington for the signing of a peace agreement between the DRC and Rwanda, alongside the United States and other partners.

Le Président du Conseil, @FEGnassingbe, Médiateur de l’Union africaine dans la crise en République Démocratique du Congo s’est entretenu ce 1ᵉʳ juillet 2025 avec Johan Borgstam, Représentant spécial de l’Union européenne pour la région des Grands Lacs. https://t.co/oik0J9dVLy pic.twitter.com/19JyzfY6ge

— Présidence du Conseil du Togo (@presidencecstg) July 1, 2025

Now, the key task is to implement the agreement effectively.  Borgstam stressed the need for action: “It is an important step in the right direction, but what matters now is implementation with the involvement and participation of the populations concerned so that we can ensure the viability and sustainability of this agreement.”

Since the AU appointed President Gnassingbé as Mediator in April 2025, he has ramped up consultations with regional and international actors. His goal is to foster inclusive dialogue and achieve a lasting, peaceful resolution to the conflict in eastern DRC.

This article was initially published in French by Esaïe Edoh

Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum

• The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved an immediate disbursement of $60.5 million to Togo.
• The approval follows a second review of Togo's 42-month, $400 million Extended Credit Facility (ECF), which received approval in March 2024.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) announced on June 30 a new disbursement of $60.5 million for Togo. The package, approved by the IMF’s Board of Directors, is immediate. It comes after the second review of the Fund’s 42-month Extended Credit Facility (ECF), totaling $400 million and approved in March 2024.

The IMF lauded Lomé for successfully implementing the program, despite persisting security challenges and difficult financing conditions. All quantitative goals set for the end of December 2024 were met, barring the performance criterion regarding the budget balance.

The fiscal revenue increased as planned during this period while non-fiscal revenue surpassed expectations. However, higher-than-expected expenditures led to a faster-than-anticipated accumulation of debt.

"Authorities have satisfactorily implemented the IMF-backed program, despite ongoing security issues, challenging financing conditions, and high global uncertainty. Among other achievements, authorities have rallied fiscal revenues in line with targets while non-fiscal revenues have exceeded expectations," notes Kenji Okamura, Acting Chair and Deputy Managing Director of the fund.

He also pointed out that progress on fiscal adjustment has been slower than anticipated due to operations recorded by the authorities below the budget line, resulting in faster-than-expected debt accumulation. Authorities' efforts to address this trend—such as publishing a forward-looking note on budget execution and debt accumulation—are acknowledged.

In this context, the Fund encourages Togolese authorities to continue fiscal adjustment efforts while preserving growth and enhancing inclusion. Reforms to improve expenditure efficiency and enhance the social protection system, including the phased elimination of fuel subsidies, are also recommended.

The importance of strengthening governance, particularly through the publication of planned governance diagnostic and aligning wealth and income declaration systems with international standards, is underscored.

Including the latest disbursement, the IMF has released around $129 million for Togo under the ECF since March 2024. The next review of the program is scheduled for the second half of 2025.

This article was initially published in French by Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Edited in English by Ola Schad Akinocho

Banks in Togo sharply increased lending in the first quarter of 2025, signaling a resilient economy and stronger support for the private sector.

Togolese banks issued CFA286 billion in new loans from January to March 2025, according to data shared on June 27 at the National Credit Council (CNC) meeting. Minister of Economy and Finance Essowè Georges Barcola chaired the session. This amount marks a 19% jump compared to the same period last year.

Officials say the rise reflects growing confidence from financial institutions in the national economy, which has maintained steady growth despite global uncertainties. Minister Barcola noted this trend particularly benefits very small, small, and medium-sized enterprises (VSEs and SMEs), which secured 44% of new loans, up from 37% a year ago.

Economy Stays Robust, Growth Forecast at 6.2%

At their Lomé meeting, CNC members assessed Togo’s economic, monetary, and financial health as of March 31. They confirmed the economy’s strong momentum, projecting 6.2% growth for 2025, after 6.3% growth in 2024. Officials expect all sectors to contribute, especially market services, which saw revenue climb 6.3% in Q1.

Construction and public works activity also remains solid, with its index standing 0.9 points above the long-term average, according to BCEAO data.

Inflation Under Control, Credit Rising

Another positive sign: inflation fell to 0.8% in April from 1.8% in March, thanks to lower food prices and better local supplies. This price stability has created favorable conditions for expanding credit.

The BCEAO reported total outstanding bank loans reached CFA1,788.3 billion by March 2025, a 5.5% year-on-year increase.

Lending rates stayed moderate at an average of 7.56% in March, close to the WAEMU average. Meanwhile, banks slightly reduced deposit rates to 5.67%, reflecting a cautious monetary stance.

Focus on Microfinance and Financial Inclusion

The CNC also discussed microfinance institutions, which remain vital for providing credit to vulnerable populations but face high risks of unpaid loans. The council is considering reforms to make these institutions more sustainable.

Overall, the semi-annual Credit Council meeting confirmed Togo’s financial system is effectively supporting the economy while maintaining stability. In the broader WAEMU region, where growth is projected to hit 7.3% in Q2, Togo continues to stand out as a pillar of resilience and financial inclusion.

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

Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum

Togo’s soybean industry plans to boost production to 500,000 tons for the 2025-2026 agricultural season, nearly doubling current output. The target was announced by the Interprofessional Council for the Soybean Sector of Togo (CIFS-Togo) during the official launch of the new season on Friday, June 27, 2025, in Atakpamé, about 160 kilometers north of Lomé.

“In 2015, our production was below 25,000 tons. Today, we have reached over 260,000 tons, but market demand is close to 700,000 tons. With everyone’s commitment, we believe we can cross the 500,000-ton mark by 2026,” said Mounirou Koriko, Chairman of CIFS-Togo, during the ceremony.

To meet this ambitious goal, stakeholders must overcome several challenges, including building trust between actors along the value chain and improving access to farm inputs, certified seeds, and production equipment.

According to sector leaders, the new season is an opportunity to strengthen the resilience of the soybean industry, especially after recent campaigns delivered results below expectations.

“If we work together to improve production, everyone will benefit sustainably. Soybeans must become a strategic crop for our agricultural economy,” Koriko emphasized.

Despite structural constraints, Togo’s soybean production has steadily increased over the past decade, rising from less than 25,000 tons in 2015 to over 260,000 tons in 2025, according to CIFS-Togo data.