The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) parliamentarians met in Lomé from May 6 to 9, 2025. They adopted recommendations to lower air ticket prices across West Africa. They urged governments to scrap several taxes starting January 1, 2026, to cut air travel costs.

At the session’s close in Lomé, lawmakers demanded the removal of four taxes: ticket tax, tourism tax, solidarity tax, and foreign travel tax. They also pushed for a 25% cut in passenger service and airport security charges.

Fanta Conté, co-president of the presidium, declared, “It is imperative to act to make air transport accessible and competitive.” 

The parliamentarians aim for a deep reform of air transport taxation. They proposed a regulatory framework to cap taxes and fees, create a regional fund to support airlines, and establish a single West African airspace. This airspace would pool infrastructure and lower operating costs.

The meeting’s data showed ECOWAS taxes and fees are 103% higher than other regions. Security costs exceed global averages by 70%, and government taxes by 47.4%. These surcharges push ticket prices up by 20% on domestic flights, 48.6% on regional routes, and 36.5% on international flights.

Mamadou Sako, co-chairman of ECOWAS Parliament’s joint infrastructure committee, called the issue political. “The facts are in, and the solutions have been identified. What is needed now is a firm and collective will to turn this corner and strengthen regional integration,” Sako said.

The parliamentarians also pleaded for the establishment of a monitoring committee to ensure these measures follow the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards.

This article was initially published in French by Esaïe Edoh

Edited in English by Ola Schad Akinocho

Togo’s Ministry of the Civil Service and Social Dialogue expanded its health staff recruitment to include anthropology specialists. The ministry announced this extension at the end of last week. The competitive exam launched on March 31, 2025, welcomes applicants with bachelor’s or master’s degrees in anthropology.

The ministry targets Togolese nationals aged 18 to 40 holding these degrees. Volunteers, contract workers, and pensionable staff can also apply if they are up to 45 years old. To accommodate these new candidates, the ministry extended the application deadline from May 9 to May 16 at 5 p.m. The written exam date remains May 31, 2025.

Togo’s authorities want anthropologists to help understand socio-cultural factors affecting health behavior. These specialists will analyze community beliefs, practices, and perceptions. This move aims to improve health outcomes by integrating social insights into the health sector.

The recruitment forms part of Togo’s broader civil service expansion plan. In 2025, the government plans to hire 14,120 agents across various sectors. This effort supports the state’s commitment to enhancing public services and social coverage.

This article was initially published in French by Esaie Edoh

Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum

The third phase of the Equity Programme started in Togo on May 6, 2025. Agronomes et Vétérinaires Sans Frontières (AVSF) leads the initiative with the French Development Agency (AFD) and French Global Environment Facility (FFEM). The four-year program runs simultaneously in Togo, Benin, Ghana, and Côte d'Ivoire. A budget of €8 million has been allocated to the initiative.

Equity aims to boost incomes and improve living conditions for small-scale producers. It focuses on three key areas: developing Fair Trade-certified supply chains, promoting agroecological transition, and professionalizing agricultural cooperatives.

Komlan Edem Akomola, the program manager for West Africa, said, “It is important to support players, especially small producers, to make a better living from their trade in a context where new international regulations are being imposed, particularly on deforestation and child labour.”

The program will roll out training with institutions like ANADER to teach hundreds of cooperative technicians about agroforestry, traceability, and bio-input use.

Building on the successes of phases 1 and 2, the program plans to scale up local innovations. Kossi Djifa, Director of Agricultural Production at Togo’s Ministry of Agriculture, said, “This program complements the government's efforts to make agriculture an engine of inclusive growth.”

This article was initially published in French by Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum

The University of Lomé (UL) plans to launch a business language centre and a business school to better connect university training with the private sector. UL President Adama Kpodar and Togo Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIT) President José Syménouh discussed these projects on May 7, 2025.

The Chamber of Commerce aims to align university skills with job market needs amid Togo’s economic transformation and growing international ties. The business language centre will offer foreign language training, focusing on English and Chinese, for students, young professionals, and economic operators.

The courses will target practical skills in trade, negotiation, international cooperation, and business relations. The goal is to help local economic players integrate into international trade and boost their global competitiveness.

The planned business school will emphasize practical and innovative programs. It will offer courses in management, finance, international trade, and digital transformation, including internships and professional immersion. Project leaders want to train entrepreneurs and managers with operational skills to support Togo’s economic changes.

Officials expect to sign a memorandum of understanding soon. They say this agreement will mark a major step in reforming higher education in Togo. UL and the Chamber of Commerce reaffirm their commitment to building an economy based on 

knowledge, innovation, and skills.

This article was initially published in French by Esaïe Edoh

Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum

The African Development Bank (AfDB) will help finance a 62 MWp solar power plant in Sokodé, central Togo. The AfDB board approved the project on May 8, 2025. It will back the initiative with €26.5 million  (about CFA17.4 billion).

The project aligns with Togo’s goal to reach 200 MWp of renewable energy by 2030. EDF Group will design, build, and run the plant, with co-financing from Proparco, the private sector arm of the French Development Agency (AFD).

The AfDB funding splits into two loans: €18.5 million from the AfDB itself and a €8 million concessional loan from the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA), managed by the pan-African bank.

The project’s total cost is €61 million. It will include an 11 km transmission line, and the solar plant will generate 87 GWh yearly. This output will cut CO₂ emissions by 13,600 tonnes annually. It will also improve access to clean, reliable, and cheap energy in Togo.

Kevin Kariuki, AfDB Vice President for Energy, called the Sokodé solar project a "landmark achievement." The solar power plant will strengthen energy security in Togo.

Recently, Togo began building another solar power plant in Dapaong, which should be ready in 13 months. 

This article was initially published in French by Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Edited in English by Ola Schad Akinocho

Halted three months ago, the mass biometric registration campaign in the Golfe prefecture will resume next week, on May 12.

The resumption advances the e-ID Togo project, backed by INSEED and ANID, under the WURI biometric identification program. The campaign aims to assign every resident of Greater Lomé-and eventually all of Togo-a Unique Identification Number (NIU) based on biometric and demographic data.

The INSEED, Togo’s Institute of Statistics, emphasizes the strong commitment it expects from its staff to ensure the success of this sensitive phase for the public. Initially, the mass registration phase was scheduled to begin in the last quarter of 2023, but was delayed repeatedly.

The WURI-Togo project operates within a sub-regional initiative funded by the World Bank with $72 million in support.

This article was initially published in French by Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Edited in English by Ola Schad Akinocho

The Togolese government announced 40 excellence scholarships for the 2024–2025 academic year, targeting Master's and PhD students at the public universities of Lomé and Kara. The scholarships form part of the Support Project for the Reform of Higher Education in Science and Engineering (PARESI 2), an initiative to improve advanced training in technical fields critical to national development.

The University of Lomé will award 25 scholarships: 15 for doctoral candidates and 10 for master’s students. The University of Kara will distribute 15 scholarships, with 10 designated for doctorates and 5 for master's. The program focuses on disciplines such as agriculture, transport, mathematics, and information technology, sectors identified as priorities in Togo’s development strategy.

Each scholarship provides an annual award of CFA3 million, covering academic fees and institutional support. Master’s recipients receive CFA2.5 million for registration, documentation, and research expenses, plus CFA500,000 for program administration. Doctoral students receive CFA300,000 for registration, CFA200,000 for documentation, CFA2 million to support research activities, including articles and conferences, and CFA500,000 for doctoral school support.

Candidates can apply through the Ministry of Higher Education’s website. Deadline to apply is May 23, 2025.

This article was initially published in French by Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum

Togo’s Parliament unanimously elected Jean-Lucien Savi de Tové as President of the Republic on May 3, 2025. The ruling Union for the Republic (Unir) party nominated the 85-year-old former opposition leader for a four-year term, renewable once. The vote count stood at 150 in favor.

The election marked a major political shift under Togo’s new Fifth Republic. The country adopted a parliamentary system that makes the presidency largely ceremonial. Earlier the same day, former President Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé took office as President of the Council, the real executive power under the new constitution.

Savi de Tové, a veteran politician and former minister, holds a doctorate in political science from the Sorbonne. He survived political imprisonment in 1979 and played a key role in the 1991 Sovereign National Conference. His long career spans multiple regimes, and he has championed dialogue, stability, and republican values.

In his symbolic role, Savi de Tové will embody national unity. Meanwhile, Faure Gnassingbé will handle economic and strategic governance as head of the Council. This new power-sharing model aims to stabilize politics and boost economic appeal.

This article was initially published in French by Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum

Togo will try to raise CFA20 billion on the regional market, the West African Monetary Union public securities market (WAMU Securities), next Friday, May 9. This will be Lomé’s first operation on the market this month. 

In detail, the Togolese Treasury will issue fungible treasury bills (BAT) to raise the funds. The notes will have maturities of 182 and 364 days, each with a nominal value of CFA1 million and multiple interest rates.

Proceeds will help finance Togo’s 2025 budget, which totals CFA2,397 billion in revenue and expenditure. 

This quarter, Togo plans to raise CFA75 billion on the WAMU market and CFA332 billion throughout the year. 

So far this year, Lomé has secured CFA165.5 billion on this market.

This article was initially published in French by Esaïe Edoh

Edited in English by Ola Schad Akinocho