Togo First
Motivated Workforce and Investor-Friendly Policies Make Togo Stand Out –Charlie Komar
The image was striking. An American business leader sat before Togolese authorities, declaring confidence in a country where his group had never before established an industrial presence. On Wednesday, June 18, Charlie Komar, CEO of the eponymous group, was in Lomé to inaugurate the first African factory of Star Garments. This textile subsidiary belongs to the U.S.-based company.
The project, named "Renaissance Togo," is driven by Asian expertise, multilateral finance, and an ambitious national industrialization strategy.
A Conviction Built on the Ground
"This decision was no accident. We saw here a rising nation, a government focused on stability, modern infrastructure, and an investor-friendly policy," Charlie Komar stated before the Chairman of the Council, attending ministers, and representatives of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the project’s financial partner. "We saw a skilled, motivated, and proud workforce ready to build, to create, to innovate."
For the head of this century-old family business, whose industrial history spans wars and global shifts, people make the difference. "This factory is not just made of machines. What matters here is human energy, ingenuity, passion. It is living software, built to the highest global quality standards."
Located in the Adétikopé Industrial Platform (PIA), the Star Garments factory spans 3.7 hectares. It currently employs 304 people, with a goal of reaching 2,000 direct jobs and 4,520 direct and indirect jobs by 2030. More than 60 to 70 percent of these jobs are intended for women.
"Starting tomorrow, we will produce garments here that will be worn around the world," Komar emphasized. "But more than that, we will build a future. Thousands of jobs, broad opportunities for women and youth, and a new chapter in West Africa’s textile excellence."
A Project Born from Cross Continental Dialogue
The initiative originated from a meeting between Sri Lankan industrialist Arumugampillai Sukumaran, CEO of Star Garments Group, and his American partner. Starting in 2019, they explored several countries across Africa and Asia. "We visited Ethiopia, Kenya, Ghana, Benin, Bangladesh," Sukumaran said. "But it was in Togo that we found an efficient port ecosystem, clear political will, and an ability to tell a story our competitors could not match."
This shared vision convinced Komar to invest, an ambition the IFC actively chose to support. "A stable job is the surest path out of poverty and a guarantee of social cohesion," noted Olivier Buyoya, the institution’s regional director for West Africa.
"We believe in Togo and all it has to offer. And we ask for everyone’s support in this room to make that vision a reality," Sukumaran concluded. For Komar, the factory stands as a model, representing a successful collaboration among the state, private investors, and technical and financial partners.
The commitment has been made, and it is built for the long term. "This is only the beginning," the group’s leaders promised.
Fiacre E. Kakpo
IMF Praises Togo’s Economic Gains Amid Fragile Sub-Saharan Recovery
Key Highlights
- Sub-Saharan Africa grew by 4% in 2024, driven by commodities and tax reforms.
- Togo’s inflation dropped to 2.2% in April 2025, one of the region’s lowest.
- IMF urges Togo to raise domestic revenue and protect market access as aid declines.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) presented its latest Sub-Saharan Africa outlook in Lomé on June 19, underscoring cautious optimism amid lingering global risks.
Titled “A Broken Recovery,” the report notes that the region posted 4% growth in 2024, supported by strong commodity prices and improved tax mobilization. Despite global instability, the IMF says macroeconomic indicators have started to stabilize across several economies.
Togo was singled out for strong performance, with inflation down to 2.2% in April 2025—one of the lowest in the region. The country also trimmed its fiscal deficit from 6.3% of GDP in 2023 to 5.6% in 2024. The IMF forecasts the deficit will fall to 4% in 2025 and reach 3% by 2026.
Amid dwindling development aid and global uncertainty, the IMF recommends Togo focus on boosting domestic revenue, reforming public policies, and safeguarding access to international capital markets.
Togo continues implementing its Extended Credit Facility (ECF) reform agenda. Government data shows 74% of the multisectoral strategy was executed in 2024. Togolese officials reiterated their commitment to reforms and appealed to global partners for renewed technical and financial backing.
“We’ve seen strong progress in stabilizing inflation, narrowing deficits, and managing debt, all of which have led to better-than-expected results across the region,” said Stéphane Tchasso Kpowbie Akaya, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
This article was initially published in French by Ayi Renaud Dossavi
Edited in English by Ange Jason QUENUM
Togo: IFAD Reviews the ProMIFA Project
Key Highlights
- IFAD conducts a mission to assess the Agricultural Finance Mechanism Support Project (ProMIFA).
- The evaluation focuses on 2025 goals, financial management, and environmental safeguards.
- ProMIFA targets improved access to finance for smallholder farmers and rural enterprises.
The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is conducting an evaluation mission in Togo to assess progress on the Agricultural Finance Mechanism Support Project (ProMIFA), aimed at improving access to financial services for smallholder farmers and rural enterprises.
A delegation led by Mathieu Faujas, IFAD’s agricultural economist and technical mission leader, arrived in Lomé on June 16. The mission, scheduled to conclude on June 27, will review the project’s implementation in line with recommendations from a previous assessment in March.
The team will examine activities under the 2025 Annual Work Plan and Budget, assess compliance with environmental and social safeguards, and evaluate financial management and procurement processes.
IFAD said the review aims to identify challenges, enhance operational performance, and provide recommendations to accelerate project delivery. The mission will also engage with national stakeholders and conduct field visits to gauge beneficiary engagement and on-the-ground impact.
Launched in February 2020 under the MIFA program, ProMIFA focuses on expanding financial access for small-scale farmers and rural micro, small, and medium enterprises through risk-sharing mechanisms.
This article was initially published in French by Esaïe Edoh
Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum
Togo: New Cash Transfer Program to Benefit Over 31,000 Households
Key Highlights:
- Togo's government introduces a cash transfer program aimed at aiding 31,450 vulnerable households nationwide.
- The scheme forms part of the citizens' budget for 2025, designed to strengthen existing social safety nets and foster sustainable resilience among precarious populations.
The Togolese government has announced a new cash transfer program set to benefit 31,450 vulnerable households across the country. Part of the citizens' budget for 2025, this initiative aims to bolster existing social safety nets and promote long-lasting resilience among fragile populations.
Steered by the Ministry of Grassroots Development, the program covers the whole country. The breakdown of beneficiaries is as follows: Lomé (1,230 households), Maritime (9,800 households), Kara (9,766 households), Savanes (10,242 households), Plateaux (368 households), and Central (44 households).
The move goes beyond providing one-off aid and aims to equip beneficiaries with the means to enhance their self-sufficiency.
In 2023, a similar program was implemented in the country, especially in Greater Lomé, following the Novissi program launched during the COVID-19 crisis. This was part of an extension of the Basic Social Safety Nets Project (FSB), co-funded by the state, the World Bank, and the French Cooperation (via AFD), with a total investment of around CFA18 billion.
This article was initially published in French.
Edited in English by Ola Schad Akinocho
Togo Tightens Fuel Transport Controls with New Customs Declaration Rule
Key Highlights:
- Starting July 1, 2025, all fuel trucks leaving Togo's petroleum terminals must submit detailed customs declarations before departure.
- The reform aims to improve fuel traceability, combat smuggling, and enhance fiscal governance using the Sydonia World digital platform.
- The measure coincides with a broader government campaign to mark petroleum products and clamp down on illegal distribution networks.
Togo will tighten customs controls on fuel transport starting July 1, 2025, as part of a broader crackdown on smuggling and opaque fuel distribution networks.
Under a new directive from the Togolese Revenue Office (OTR), every truck carrying petroleum products from the Société Togolaise d'Entreposage (STE) or the Société Togolaise des Stockages de Lomé (STSL) must complete a detailed customs declaration before leaving either terminal.
The measure is designed to improve the traceability of fuel flows via the Sydonia World digital platform, a regional tool for managing customs operations. Petroleum depots must transmit these declarations to the Division of Customs Operations for Hydrocarbons and Refining (DODH-R), a specialized branch within the OTR.
The DODH-R will be responsible for monitoring, validating, and managing all administrative processes linked to fuel movements. Officials say the policy aims to close loopholes that allow discrepancies between declared and delivered fuel volumes.
The initiative is part of Togo’s fiscal modernization strategy and broader efforts to enhance transparency in the energy sector. It follows recent government plans to introduce chemical marking of fuel to detect fraud and eliminate parallel distribution channels.
This article was initially published in French by Esaïe Edoh
Edited in English by Ola Schad Akinocho
Lomé Airport Sees Slight 1.2% Rise in Passenger Traffic in Q1 2025
Gnassingbé Eyadema International Airport (AIGE) in Lomé handled 329,618 passengers in the first quarter of 2025, according to figures released on June 18 in the quarterly budget execution report. The marks a 1.2% increase from the same period in 2024, when the airport registered 325,709 travelers.
Although modest, this growth continues the upward trend recorded in recent years at Togo’s main air hub. It aligns with the country’s broader goal of positioning Lomé as a major logistics and aviation center in West Africa.
In 2024, annual traffic at AIGE reached 1,506,946 passengers, reflecting a 6.2% rise over the previous year, which had seen about 1.4 million travelers.
The steady climb in passenger numbers is partly due to network expansion by key partner airlines. Lomé-based Asky Airlines has played a central role. Since July 2024, the carrier has added more flights between Lomé and Abidjan and reopened its route to Pointe-Noire in Congo in October.
Six new routes were introduced in 2023, including four by Asky Airlines and two by Ethiopian Airlines. Ethiopian Airlines’ direct Lomé–Washington flight, which began in June 2022, also continues to drive growth by enhancing transcontinental connectivity.
As traffic grows, Togolese authorities are preparing to increase the airport’s capacity to handle higher volumes. The government has set a medium-term target of 2 million passengers per year, with infrastructure upgrades expected to support that goal.
This latest quarter’s numbers reflect steady progress on that path, as Lomé strengthens its role in regional and international air transport.
Esaïe Edoh
Togo Launches Fuel Customs Reform July 1st to Enhance Traceability
Effective July 1, 2025, Togo will implement a new regulatory measure to strengthen customs oversight of petroleum products. Starting on that date, every fuel truck departing from either Société Togolaise d'Entreposage (STE) or Société Togolaise des Stockages de Lomé (STSL)’s terminals must submit a detailed customs declaration before leaving the facility.
The Togolese Revenue Office (OTR) made the announcement, stating that this reform aims to enhance monitoring of customs operations involving hydrocarbons. It also seeks to improve the traceability of fuel flow through the Sydonia World digital platform.
In practical terms, STE and STSL must submit detailed declarations to the Division of Customs Operations for Hydrocarbons and Refining (DODH-R), a specialized branch of the OTR, before loading. This division will be responsible for monitoring, clearing, and administratively processing all transactions related to petroleum products.
The measure is part of a broader effort to improve fiscal governance and transparency in logistics. Authorities indicate it is designed to ensure more accurate tracking of product entries and exits, and to prevent discrepancies between declared quantities and those actually delivered to the market.
This reform coincides with the government's announcement of a fuel marking initiative, which aims to combat fraud and parallel distribution networks.
Esaïe Edoh
Togo Moves to Upgrade National Soil Data Platform FertiTogo
Togo’s agricultural leaders are pushing to modernize FertiTogo, the country’s national soil information platform. A high-level workshop in Lomé runs through June 19, 2025, gathering government officials, international experts, and technical partners.
Their mission: craft a bold roadmap to boost FertiTogo’s performance, inclusivity, and alignment with global soil information system standards.
FertiTogo relies on soil fertility data collected from 2017 to 2020. It provides farmers and agribusinesses with easy access to vital soil data that can raise crop yields and improve farming methods. The platform acts as a critical tool in Togo’s push for sustainable agriculture and food security.
At the workshop, the government plans to adopt cutting-edge digital technologies, secure reliable hosting, and ensure the platform’s financial sustainability. This effort enjoys strong backing from major international players, including the International Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences (CABI), the International Soil Reference and Information Centre (ISRIC), and the regional hub focused on fertilizers and soil health in West Africa and the Sahel.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
Togo Opens Modern Toll Station on National Road 2 Starting June 19
Togo opens a new modern toll station on National Road 2 near Aného today, June 19. The Ministry of Transport announced the completion of construction and equipment last Tuesday.
The government will move toll collection from a temporary site in Vodougbé to this new station about 40 kilometers from Lomé.
This toll station is part of the RN2 rehabilitation effort. It joins other toll points to boost the capacity of SAFER, the agency responsible for funding road maintenance and improvements.
Togo’s road maintenance budget will shrink by 20% in 2025, dropping from CFA16.5 billion in 2024 to CFA13.3 billion.
Golfe 1 Municipality Reviews Six Years of Progress in Public Accountability Day
Golfe 1 municipality in Bè-Apédomé held its Public Accountability Day on June 17, 2025, following the country’s decentralization law. Minister-Mayor Joseph Koamy Gomado delivered a detailed report on six years of local governance.
Since 2019, the municipality has deployed over 220 agents across its six sectors to strengthen administrative decentralization. The town hall plans to build a new four-story city hall. It has already completed key projects: renovating schools, building an ophthalmology center in Bè, opening a dispensary in Klobatèmé, and modernizing the local market.
The municipality also supports economic inclusion through microcredit programs, student aid, and youth initiatives. Looking ahead, it funds a CFA80 million study to turn the Bè lagoon into a standout urban space.
Minister-Mayor Gomado praised the council’s efforts. “Despite ongoing challenges, we have achieved some objectives. These results are promising,” he said.
Golfe 1, also known as Bè-Est, covers 60.66 km² and is home to nearly 500,000 people. With 36 neighborhoods and a coastal frontage, it ranks among the most populous and significant municipalities in Greater Lomé.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi