Togo First
Pan-African Congress Returns to Lomé After Multiple Delays
KEY HIGHLIGHTS:
• Historic gathering convenes December 8-12, first congress in eight years since Accra edition
• Diaspora engagement crisis addressed as AU seeks to bridge gap with "abandoned" Afro-descendants globally
• Global governance reform positions pan-Africanism as tool for equitable African representation in international institutions
The 9th Pan-African Congress will convene December 8-12 in Lomé after several postponements, Togolese Foreign Minister Robert Dussey announced last week.
The continental summit will gather African leaders, politicians, academics, legal experts, and civil society representatives in the Togolese capital, alongside members of the African diaspora. Participants will focus on revitalizing pan-Africanism and defining Africa's role in reforming multilateral institutions.
"The need for a 9th Pan-African Congress in Lomé has imposed itself on Africa for several reasons," Dussey explained. "Among them, the need to put an end to the paradox between the African Union's clearly expressed desire to involve the diasporas more in the continent's development, and the feeling of abandonment felt by many Afro-descendants."
The gathering aims to position pan-Africanism as both an ideological foundation and a practical tool for addressing contemporary challenges. Delegates will also examine the urgent need for equitable reform of international institutions to ensure fairer African representation in global governance.
Eight years have passed since the last congress in Accra, and organizers view the Lomé meeting as a potential turning point. The diaspora, in particular, has been called upon to assume a driving role in building renewed African solidarity.
The congress represents a critical opportunity to bridge the gap between continental aspirations and diaspora engagement, while charting a path forward for African unity in an evolving global landscape.
Togo Launches Major School Kit Distribution Campaign for 100,000 Girls
KEY HIGHLIGHTS:
• 602 million FCFA investment reaches over 100,000 girls across 800 vulnerable localities nationwide
• World Bank partnership provides 37.5 billion FCFA through SWEDD+ project targeting cultural barriers to education
• Government roadmap priority advances 2020-2025 goal of free, equitable education with focus on social inclusion
The Togolese government launched a major campaign to distribute educational supplies yesterday, Sept 9. The program, valued at CFA602 million, targets over 100,000 girls across 800 localities nationwide.
It was officially launched in Djémégni, in the Plateaux region, with Minister and Secretary General of the Presidency of the Council Sandra Johnson presiding over the ceremony. Key attendees included government officials, World Bank Division Director for Côte d'Ivoire, Benin, Guinea, and Togo, Marie-Chantal Uwanyiligira, and United Nations System Coordinator, Coumba Sow.
Students, parents, and teachers from diverse backgrounds gathered to support the program, which specifically targets girls enrolled in public primary and secondary schools in vulnerable communities. The distributed kits contain essential school supplies and equipment designed to help recipients continue their education throughout the 2025-2026 academic year, which begins September 15.
"We want to reduce disparities in access and ensure that all students, especially girls and children with disabilities, benefit from quality education," Minister Johnson said during the ceremony.
The distribution aligns with Axis 1 of the Government Roadmap 2020-2025, which seeks to "strengthen social inclusion and harmony and consolidate peace" through free, compulsory, and equitable education.
Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Dodzi Kokoroko emphasized the initiative's long-term significance. "Investing in girls' education is building the future of the Republic," he declared.
The program operates under the SWEDD+ (Women's Empowerment and Demographic Dividend in the Enlarged Sahel) regional project, funded by the World Bank with CFA37.5 billion. Beyond kit distribution, the comprehensive program includes awareness campaigns and family and community support designed to address cultural and economic barriers to education.
Esaïe Edoh
Togo tax authority collects 61% of 2025 revenue target by August
Highlights:
- Togo’s OTR collected 737.2 billion CFA francs by August, 61% of the 2025 target.
- Performance equals 92.5% of forecast for Jan–Aug, up 4.8% y/y.
- OTR drafting 2026-2030 plan to digitize tax administration and widen the base.
The Togolese Revenue Office (OTR) collected 737.2 billion CFA francs ($1.2 billion) by the end of August, representing 61% of its annual target of 1,208.4 billion CFA francs, officials said on September 2, 2025, during a management seminar in Kara.
The figure corresponds to 92.5% of the OTR’s forecast for the first eight months (797.3 billion CFA francs) and marks a 4.8% year-on-year increase.
“This performance reflects the sustained pace of tax collection and the combined efforts of our tax, customs, and land registry departments,” said Commissioner General Philippe Tchodié.
To reach its annual goal, the OTR plans to broaden the tax base to include digital platforms, strengthen action against customs fraud and smuggling, and apply the new governance framework introduced this year.
The seminar also marked the start of work on the OTR’s 2026-2030 strategic plan, which will prioritize digital tools to boost transparency and improve trust between taxpayers and the administration.
Esaïe Edoh
Togo: CFMI launches partial scholarships for top students
- CFMI to offer partial scholarships to top BAC Pro and BTS students.
- Beneficiaries will pay one-third of fees; scholarships cover the rest.
- CFMI has trained 1,150 youth in 10 years, with 70% job placement.
The Centre de Formation aux Métiers de l’Industrie (CFMI) has announced partial scholarships for students with the highest scores in the BAC Pro and BTS exams. Applications are open until September 15.
Selected students will pay only one-third of their tuition, with the scholarships covering the rest. “These measures are aimed at reinvigorating the industrial sector and offering concrete job opportunities to Togolese youth,” said Jules Anani Gozo, CFMI General Manager.
The initiative is supported by the Togolese state and several professional organizations, including AFMI, the National Employers’ Council (CNP), the Association of Large Companies (AGET), the Free Zone Enterprises Association (ASOZOF), and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIT).
Founded a decade ago through Franco-Togolese cooperation, the CFMI has since trained over 1,150 young people. About 70% of graduates have entered the workforce, according to the institution.
Togo to distribute 100,000 school kits to girls under World Bank-backed program
Highlights:
- Togo to distribute over 100,000 school kits to girls across 64 cantons.
- Initiative part of World Bank-backed SWEDD+ program on education and gender equality.
- Girls’ school completion lags: 59.9% at lower secondary vs 66.8% for boys; only 11% of women in higher education.
Togo will launch on September 9, 2025, a large-scale campaign to distribute more than 100,000 school kits to girls enrolled in public schools, part of efforts to promote education and equal opportunities. The initiative will be launched in Djémégni, Plateaux region, under the patronage of President Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé.
The program, supported by the World Bank under the regional SWEDD+ project (Women’s Empowerment and Demographic Dividend in the Enlarged Sahel), will benefit girls in 64 cantons nationwide. Kits include basic supplies and equipment for primary, middle and high school students.
“Girls’ education is not an option, it’s a national priority,” said a project manager. “By offering them the means to succeed, the government is translating into action the President’s vision of investing in human capital.”
Despite progress, disparities remain. According to UNESCO, in 2022, 87% of girls completed primary school versus 91% of boys. At lower secondary level, the completion rate dropped to 59.9% for girls and 66.8% for boys. Gross enrolment in higher education stood at just 11% for women compared with 19% for men.
Beyond kits, SWEDD+ Togo also includes awareness campaigns and family support programs to reduce dropouts, early marriage and financial barriers. For the World Bank, investing in girls’ education remains a key driver of inclusive development.
Fiacre E. Kakpo
Togo gathers 4,000 youths for policy dialogue at second Youth Delivery Lab
Highlights:
• Over 4,000 youths joined Togo’s Youth Delivery Lab in Lomé on Sept. 6.
• Event focused on agribusiness, sports industry, peace and cohesion.
• Proposals will be submitted to authorities to shape youth policies.
More than 4,000 young Togolese took part in the second edition of the Youth Delivery Lab (YDL), a citizen platform for participatory dialogue held in Lomé on Saturday.
The gathering, themed “Harnessing the potential of young people for development,” brought together youth, officials and experts to debate agribusiness, the sports industry, and peace and social cohesion.
“We want to involve youth in the definition and implementation of public policies, and this activity is an opportunity to stimulate youth leadership and gather their proposals,” said Abdul Fahd Fofana, Minister Delegate.
According to organizers, the conclusions from panel discussions and round tables will be synthesized and submitted to national authorities to guide youth-focused policies.
The YDL, first held in 2023 with about 600 participants, has expanded significantly, underscoring the government’s effort to make young people central to policymaking in a country where more than 60% of the population is under 25.
Octave A. Bruce
Togo banks post record reserves, far above BCEAO requirements
Highlights:
• Togo’s banks held reserves of 157.6 bln CFA francs in July–Aug, 220% of BCEAO requirements.
• Surplus reflects post-Covid prudential management but raises concerns over SME financing.
• Togo ranks among the most prudent in the region; Senegal leads, Niger trails.
Togo’s banking sector has built up a record surplus of reserves, according to the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO), underscoring strong liquidity management but also raising questions about lending to the private sector.
Banks in the country held 157.6 billion CFA francs ($255 million) in reserves in July–August 2025, more than double the regulatory requirement of 71.5 billion CFA francs ($116 million). The net surplus reached 86.1 billion CFA francs ($140 million), with a coverage ratio of 220%.
The trend reflects years of gradual strengthening since the Covid-19 pandemic. The net balance was only 2.3 billion CFA francs ($3.7 million) in November 2023 but climbed steadily through 2024, crossing 80 billion CFA francs in the second half of 2025.
Analysts say the buildup shows banks’ capacity to absorb shocks while meeting BCEAO prudential rules. But they note that surplus liquidity could be redirected to expand lending to small and medium-sized enterprises, which still face financing barriers.
In regional comparison, Togo’s coverage ratio of 220% is among the highest in the West African Monetary Union. Senegal leads with 315%, while Niger lags near the minimum at 115%.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
Togo Launches New Diplomatic Year with Call for African Autonomy
Highlights
• Togo opens new diplomatic year under the theme of “Africa’s strategic autonomy”
• FM Robert Dussey urges the continent to define relations on its own terms amid global rivalries
• Roadmap for economic diplomacy validated to align diplomacy with national development
Togo’s Foreign Minister Robert Dussey opened the country’s new diplomatic year this Wednesday, September 3, with a call for Africa to chart its own course in global affairs, stressing the need for strategic autonomy in the face of intensifying geopolitical rivalries.
Speaking at a ceremony in Lomé under the theme “New geopolitical rivalries and Africa’s strategic autonomy”, Dussey told diplomats, academics, civil society representatives, and political leaders that Africa’s stability and development hinge on its capacity to act independently.
The keynote address was delivered by Abderaman Koulamallah, former Chadian Foreign Minister, who said Africa is now at the center of competing global interests. He noted that young, connected populations are pressing for greater sovereignty, citing political shifts in the Sahel, while new actors such as Turkey, the UAE, Qatar, India, and Brazil expand investments in Africa’s lithium, uranium, and other strategic resources.
Koulamallah urged African states to devote 5% of GDP to education and 1% to research to prepare their youth for the technological and digital age.
Beyond the geopolitical debate, Togo is also moving to make diplomacy an economic tool. In July, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs validated a roadmap for economic diplomacy, aimed at better coordinating embassies, the diaspora, and partners to advance Togo’s economic interests abroad.
Authorities say the strategy is designed to turn diplomacy into a direct lever of national development.
Côte d’Ivoire, India Remain Togo’s Top Export Markets, as Overall Trade Gap Grows in Q2 2025
Côte d’Ivoire remained Togo's top customer in the second quarter of 2025, accounting for 13.3% of exports, valued at 29.8 billion CFA francs, according to data from the National Institute of Statistics, Economic and Demographic Studies (INSEED Togo). It was closely followed by India, at 13.2% (29.4 billion CFA francs), and Burkina Faso, at 11.1% (24.8 billion CFA francs).
Benin (6.9%), Senegal (6.2%), France (5.9%), and Ghana (5.6%) completed the list of top trading partners. Overall, the top 10 clients accounted for 77.9% of Togo's total exports, highlighting the country's strong reliance on a small number of specific markets.
The primary exported goods were phosphates, at 23.1 billion CFA francs (10.3% of foreign sales), followed by "plastic bags and sachets" at 19.4 billion CFA francs (8.7%), and refined palm oil at 14.7 billion CFA francs (6.5%), according to official statistics.
Declining Exports, Widening Trade Deficit
Overall trade figures reflect a persistent imbalance. Exports totaled 223.9 billion CFA francs, a 13.6% decrease in value from the first quarter. At the same time, imports rose to 461.3 billion CFA francs, a 3.7% increase. The opposing trends resulted in a trade deficit that grew by 28% compared to the previous quarter, reaching 237.4 billion CFA francs.
On a year-over-year basis, exports saw a modest 4.1% increase, while imports grew by 4.9%.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
WAEMU: CRRH-UEMOA's 60 billion FCFA Social Bond Debuts on Regional Exchange
The Regional Stock Exchange (BRVM) welcomes the CRRH-UEMOA 6.00% 2025 - 2040 "Social Bond", a CFA60 billion bond issue dedicated to financing affordable housing.
The Social Bond, arranged by Impaxis and confirmed by Moody's with an SQS1 (Excellent) rating, is expected to boost the credibility of the regional financial market and promote sustainable, inclusive finance.
On September 3, 2025, the Regional Stock Exchange (BRVM) set a significant milestone by listing the "Social Bond CRRH-UEMOA 6.00% 2025 - 2040". This bond issue, worth CFA60 billion, is to help low and middle-income earners living in the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) secure decent and affordable housing. The event took place at the headquarters of the West African Development Bank (BOAD) in Lomé, the capital of Togo.
The fundraising was arranged by Impaxis through a public offering. It was based on 60 million bonds valued at CFA10,000 each, earning 6% net per annum for a term of 15 years, with a one-year deferred period.
The bond's social objective was validated by Moody's international agency, which assigned it an SQS1 (Excellent) rating, the highest possible for a sustainable finance tool. According to the BRVM’s Managing Director, Dr. Edoh Kossi Amenounve, this rating bolsters the stock’s credibility and boosts investor appeal for products focused on inclusive and sustainable finance, which align with people’s real needs.
Amenounve highlighted the bond's innovative nature for the market, noting that it marks a step for the Union's countries towards inclusive and sustainable finance, especially as low and middle-income households struggle to afford decent housing.
Yedau Ogoundele, the top manager of the issuer CRRH-UEMOA, expressed pride in the bond's listing on the BRVM. The social bond was oversubscribed by 112% totaling 67.2 billion FCFA, of which 60 billion FCFA was finally taken up. "This is a first in our sub-region," she declared. She added: "What we are celebrating today is much more than a financial operation. It's the first social bond issued in the UEMOA region, fully dedicated to affordable housing and marks 13 years of reliability and trust built with investors, banks, and people."
This marks a strong endorsement of CRRH-UEMOA's commitment to facilitating access to decent housing for middle and low-income households through long-term, structured, secure, and now sustainable financing.
S.A