Togo officially launched the “Café-Lumière” project on Tuesday, August 26, 2025, starting with a pilot deployment in six villages of Haho prefecture, about 90 kilometers north of Lomé.

The initiative is led by the NGO Electriciens sans frontières in partnership with the Togolese Ministry of Renewable Energies and financed by the French Development Agency (AFD). In Haho 1 commune, the villages of Guèdèglèlè, Agoto, and Hounon Copé have received installations designed to supply households and micro-enterprises. In Haho 2 and 3 communes, the project covers Agbédougbé, Somoné Copé, and Aboudikpé, where electricity will mainly serve schools, community services, and other shared facilities.

The program is based on the installation of photovoltaic mini-grids capable of powering households, income-generating activities, and community infrastructure. “Café-Lumière is an innovative, autonomous, and sustainable model, complementary to traditional electrification plans, with the ambition to improve living conditions and support economic development in rural communities,” said Sérena Barès, program coordinator at Electriciens sans frontières.

Powered by solar energy, the facilities provide services ranging from home lighting to power supply for health centers and schools, as well as workshops and artisans. They also include commercial services such as refrigeration, office equipment, device charging, and hairdressing. The aim is to meet household, community, and productive needs while stimulating local economic activity.

Previously tested in Benin and Madagascar, the “Café-Lumière” concept seeks to bridge electricity access gaps in isolated areas and advance energy inclusion across Africa. In Togo, it will play a central role in the government’s policy to achieve universal energy access.

• IMF conducts in-depth diagnostic mission on governance and anti-corruption in Togo.

• Audit, requested by Togo, is part of the Extended Credit Facility approved in March 2024.

• Findings will inform a strategic roadmap to enhance institutional integrity and investor confidence.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is conducting an in-depth diagnostic mission in Lomé this week, focusing on governance and anti-corruption efforts. The evaluation, requested by Togolese authorities, is part of the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) program approved in March 2024 and is scheduled to conclude on August 29, 2025.

The audit encompasses several key areas, including budgetary transparency, public finance management, institutional effectiveness, and the legal framework for business. It will also scrutinize the asset declaration regime for public officials, public procurement procedures, and the independence of control bodies.

Togo is among the first Francophone African nations to voluntarily undertake such an exercise. For Lomé, the objective is to identify structural weaknesses and align national practices with international standards. This move is intended to signal to donors and investors Togo's commitment to improving its business climate and consolidating macroeconomic gains.

The mission's conclusions, anticipated by year-end, will serve as the foundation for a strategic roadmap, as confirmed by the Ministry of Economy and Finance. This document aims to strengthen institutional integrity, support internal resource mobilization, and enhance the confidence of financial partners.

In the Yoto prefecture, the village of Gojémé is getting a new look. Once plagued by darkness and energy poverty, the community is now thriving thanks to a 30 kWp multi-functional solar platform.

The project, which cost over 105 million CFA Francs, was funded by the World Bank's West Africa Coastal Areas Resilience Investment Project (WACA ResIP) and supported by the Ministry of Environment.

Equipped with 50 photovoltaic panels and lithium-ion batteries, the mini-power plant does more than just supply electricity to homes, public lighting, and social infrastructure. It also powers corn grinding, rice hulling, cassava grating, and cellphone charging, and it supplies the local health center. As a result, the cost of grinding corn has been cut in half, freeing up income for families.

"The multi-functional platform is a true gem for the community, which can itself testify to the satisfaction it provides," said Dr. Adou Rahim Alimi Assimiou, the WACA project coordinator in Togo.

Beyond providing energy, WACA has also funded income-generating activities. Households have received support to start small ruminant farming, agriculture, and beekeeping. "This project has changed the face of the village," said Togbé Lawè Xosé, a representative of the local community.

The project's impact extends beyond energy. The restoration of the Godjé-Godjin sacred forest has reforested 12 hectares, revitalizing degraded areas and strengthening biodiversity. In the same forest, beehives are now producing honey, and groups of women are growing vegetables, diversifying their income and reducing pressure on natural resources.

Local ownership is key to this transformation. A community committee, supported by the National Agency for Grassroots Development (ANADEB), manages and maintains the equipment. This co-management model ensures the sustainability of the investments and reflects the WACA philosophy: resilience is not imposed, it is built with the communities.

While there are still challenges to making these resources sustainable, the stakes go beyond the village. The protected Godjé-Godjin sacred forest could become a hub for ecotourism and a driver of biodiversity for the entire region.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Togo will introduce the R21 malaria vaccine into its public health system on September 1, 2025. The announcement was made during an awareness meeting held on August 26 in Lomé by the Ministry of Health and Hygiene's immunization division.

The meeting brought together policymakers, parents, community leaders, educators, and media professionals from the Greater Lomé area. The goal was to ensure community understanding and acceptance of the vaccine's integration into the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI), especially after some public reluctance was observed during COVID-19 campaigns.

Starting September 1, children five months and older will systematically receive the vaccine at health facilities. The discussions focused on the vaccination schedule, implementation strategies, and the role of stakeholders in mobilization.

"To protect children, the government has decided to introduce the malaria vaccine starting September 1. Children five months of age will be the first to receive it in our health facilities," said Gnassounou-Akpa, head of the ministry's immunization division. "We urge parents to understand that this vaccine is safe and effective in reducing simple and severe cases of malaria in children."

The protocol calls for four doses: the first at five months, the second at six months, the third at seven months, and the final dose at 15 months. This vaccination is part of a broader set of ongoing prevention measures, which includes the use of treated mosquito nets, seasonal chemoprevention, and intermittent preventive treatment for pregnant women.

Togo is receiving support from the Global Alliance for Vaccines (Gavi) for the vaccine's deployment. Gavi's CEO, Sania Nishtar, recently met with Togolese President Faure Gnassingbé on the sidelines of the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9).

Esaïe Edoh 

Nearly a decade after adopting its National Adaptation Plan (NAP) in 2016, every region in Togo now has its own Regional Adaptation Plan (RAP). The documents were approved in mid-August 2025 following a series of workshops held from August 11 to 19 by the Ministry of Environment and Forest Resources, with support from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

The RAPs are a strategic tool for regional resilience, designed to strengthen the capacity of socio-economic sectors to withstand recurring climate risks. According to Oyétoundé Djiwa, head of the FAO office in Togo, the plans will help regional councils better plan for their territory's development with a focus on sustainability and carbon neutrality.

Developed under the "Strengthening National and Regional Capacities for Effective Climate Risk Management in Togo" project, which is funded by the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the plans aim to make each region a key player in its own resilience. The goal is to enable local authorities to anticipate major climate impacts, protect vulnerable populations, and preserve natural resources.

Local authorities in the Central region have particularly praised the initiative. "When we analyze the priority actions contained in our region's RAP, we realize that they address specific concerns related to the effects of climate change, the implementation of which will strengthen the resilience of the sectors," said Souroudé Aboutou, Chief of Staff for the Central Region Council.

For the government, adopting these documents is a continuation of Togo's environmental commitments. Their implementation is expected to mitigate climate risks and impacts on the most vulnerable socio-economic sectors at a regional level.

Esaïe Edoh