Togolese entrepreneurs can apply to the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) startup funding program and get seed funding of $5,000. 

Last Friday, a TEF awareness session was held to inform entrepreneurs who may be interested. The Ministry of Grassroots Development and Youth Employment, and the National Agency for Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) backed the workshop. Participants learned about TEF's support mechanisms.

Every year, the TEF, founded in 2015 by Nigerian banking mogul Tony Elumelu, runs an incubation program that supports young African entrepreneurs, giving them funding, skills, and networking opportunities.

Young entrepreneurs with businesses that are less than five years old were informed about the program's stages: application, training, business plan review, and access to start-up capital. Since its launch, the TEF backed over 20,000 entrepreneurs from all 54 African countries. It has invested over $100 million in their projects. 

Interested entrepreneurs have until March 1 to apply to the TEF funding program.

This article was initially published in French by Ayi Renaud Dossavi 

Edited in English by Ola Schad Akinocho

Lomé seeks to become a major arbitration center in sea and financial disputes, joining big cities like London, Hong Kong, and Paris. Last week, from February 3 to 5, the Togolese capital hosted The Power of Lomé Arbitration Week (L.A.W). According to Martial Akakpo, who heads the Centre International d'Arbitrage et de Médiation (CIAM), the L.A.W supported the ambition. 

Severa assets position Lomé to aim for the position of top arbitration center–its geographical position being the first. Lomé is the only city in the region to have a deep-water port. Also, the Port of Lomé receives the latest ships, due to its strategic position for developing and operating maritime and financial infrastructure.

It is worth noting that the development of maritime activities in the Gulf of Guinea–especially ship operation and management, navigation, transport of goods, repairs, commission, logistics, sales, charter parties, insurance, etc–has given rise to conflicts, disputes, and differences. And these are best settled by mediation and arbitration.

At the recent ¨Power of the L.A.W, it was indicated that “Lomé's dominant position as the headquarters of sub-regional financial institutions such as BOAD, BIDC, ETI, AGF, CICA-RE and its proximity to the regional stock exchange in Abidjan reinforces the need to reflect on the efficiency and appropriateness of arbitration procedures for disputes in complex areas such as banking and financial law.” During the forum’s opening ceremony, Balkissou Alfa Hassan Sido Kado, who handles dispute resolution across the African Free Trade Continental Area (AfCFTA), emphasized the importance of arbitration and mediation to resolve business disagreements across Africa.

According to Me Martial Akakpo, head of the Centre International d'Arbitrage et de Médiation (CIAM), capturing a portion of the resolution of maritime disputes presents a significant challenge for Lomé. Success hinges on support from maritime and financial stakeholders, as well as the State, which is called upon to establish an appropriate legislative framework and specialized judicial institutions, including a specialized chamber for appeals against arbitral awards

“The Power of L.A.W.” has gathered lawyers, business leaders, investment groups, banks, development partners, as well as regional and international experts.

This article was initially published in French by Séna Akoda

Edited in English by Ola Schad Akinocho

The Gnassingbé Eyadema International Airport (AIGE) of Lomé, Togo, is slated for further expansion works. This project was a key topic during discussions at the National Assembly concerning the 2025 Finance Law in late December 2024.

The expansion aims to increase the airport's capacity and support Togo's ambition to become a regional logistics hub. The expansion should help the facility receive more passengers–2 million per year, against 1.4 million now.

The initiative includes enlarging waiting areas by 500 seats to improve passenger flow for departures, connections, and arrivals. The southward terminal will also be extended to enhance safety and security, in line with international standards.

This expansion is part of a broader effort to modernize the airport, including building and operating a hotel for transit passengers. This should attract more international airlines to the Togolese capital, where about 10 currently operate. New carriers could also flock to Lomé, strengthening Togo's position in West African airspace.

The AIGE was previously rehabilitated in 2016.

Esaïe Edoh

The Djanta Tech Hub in Lomé, Togo, will offer Human Centered Design (HCD) training on February 21 and 22, 2025.

The two sessions, organized with the Co-Creation Hub (CcHub), target digital and innovation professionals—from entrepreneurs to students—to enhance their skills in design thinking and product creation.

Participants in these interactive workshops will learn to design innovative and economically viable products that meet market demands. They will also learn how to better understand and solve user challenges. Each session is limited to 50 participants. The workshop will be broadcast online via Zoom.

The Djanta Tech Hub supports the transformation of Togo's entrepreneurial ecosystem, focusing on startups in tech, agritech, and edtech.

During the third quarter of 2024, outstanding loans by microfinance institutions in Togo stood at CFA395.6 billion. This is CFA35.8 billion more than the previous quarter (+9.9%). The figures were disclosed in a recent report from the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO). Togo surpassed Senegal (4.4%), Côte d'Ivoire (4.8%), Burkina Faso (3.1%), and Benin (2.5%) in quarterly growth. 

Over half (50.4%) of the loans provided by Togolese microfinance institutions were short-term. They were followed by medium-term and long-term loans (30.9% and 18.7%, respectively).

Regarding deposits, they also increased in Q3 2024, by CFA8.5 billion or 2.1% to reach CFA 415.3 billion (+2.1%). Here, Togo did not do as well as Senegal (5.9%) and Côte d'Ivoire (2.6%), but it exceeded Burkina Faso (1.1%) and Mali (3.3%). 

In Q3 2024, outstanding loans extended by microfinance institutions in Togo reached nearly CFA400 billion (CFA395.697 billion), up by 13.3% year-on-year.

Across the West African Monetary Union (UEMOA), outstanding deposits collected by microfinance institutions in Q3 2024 increased by CFA66.8 billion (2.8%) to CFA2,459.6 billion, against Q2 2024.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Last week, the Togolese Ministry of Social Action and Women's Rights announced a national campaign to provide 1,000 women with supplementary judgments in place of birth certificates.

This initiative, part of the International Women's Rights Day 2025 celebration on March 8, is a collaboration with the Ministries of Territorial Administration and Justice. The goal is to ease the difficulties faced by many women who lack access to identity documents, despite legal guarantees.

Abidé Kpessi, Director of Gender and Women's Rights, explained the initiative: “The right to identity is guaranteed by law. But in practice, women are unable to access these identity documents.”

The campaign will reach 200 women in each region. Beneficiaries will be selected by prefects, traditional chiefs, and regional directors from the Ministry of Social Action.

This year's International Women's Rights Day theme is "For all women and girls: rights, equality, and empowerment".

Lomé will host the third “Les Afropéennes” music festival from February 20 to 23. Organizers announced the dates via social media.

The festival will again showcase cultural diversity, bringing together artists, industry professionals, and fans. “Les Afropéennes” aims to promote inclusion and global awareness, particularly among young people, by highlighting collaborations between African and European artists.

This year's lineup features Innocent Kimpe & Praktika, Aron & The Jeri Jeri Band, Siân Pottock, Kin’Gongolo Kiniata, Vovolectro, and Paki Chenzü.

The festival will be held at two locations: the Magic Mirrors of the Institut Français du Togo on February 20 and 21, and the Marché de Cacavéli in Agoè on February 22 and 23. As in previous years, all concerts will be free.

Esaïe Edoh

Togo's telecommunications sector, serving nearly eight million consumers, has grown by around 6% per year, on average, since 2015. The performance is attributable to government efforts to modernize and regulate the industry, which has improved connectivity across the country.

Telecommunications Revolution Since the 1990s

The Togolese telecom sector started its revolution in the late 1990s. After managing the sector until 1986, the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications handed it over to the Office des Postes et Télécommunications (OPTT). In 1991, OPTT became a public company operating under private-sector rules.

In 1996, a new policy split OPTT into two companies: Société des Postes du Togo (SPT) for postal services and Société des Télécommunications du Togo (Togo Telecom) for telecommunications. Togo Telecom later became a holding company.

In 1998, Togo established a regulatory body called the Autorité de Régulation des Postes et Télécommunications (ART&P). This entity, amid market liberalization, introduced competition in the sector. Togocel, a subsidiary of Togo Telecom, lost its monopoly when Telecel Togo entered the market and underwent several rebrandings.

Two Firms at the Helm

Togo’s telecom market is dominated by two major players: Yas Togo (formerly Togocom), which held 58% of the market in 2023, and Moov Africa Togo, owned by Maroc Telecom, with 42%. While it started with telephony, competition has expanded to mobile money—where Yas Togo leads with about 60%—and mobile internet services.

New players like Café Informatique et Télécommunication, GVA Togo, and Teolis are entering the market. With operators improving their infrastructure, competition is expected to grow even more in the coming years.

A watchful eye

The telecom sector has often talked about adding a third operator, but instead, the Autorité de Régulation des Communications Électroniques et des Postes (ARCEP) has emerged and is changing the game. Founded in 2012 after the Electronic Communications Act, ARCEP's job is to promote fair competition in telecom and postal services while ensuring that quality services are affordable for everyone.

ARCEP follows a strategic plan focused on using data for regulation. This helps them understand the market better, hold companies accountable, and meet consumer needs more effectively. Since 2022, this approach has led to price caps on communications, resulting in lower costs for voice calls, messaging, and internet services across the country. Free roaming agreements with several countries have also been established. This is a big improvement for Togo, which used to have some of the highest rates. Mobile number portability was also introduced, allowing for further progress in the sector.

How Digital Trends are Reshaping the Postal Sector

ARCEP’s postal sector is struggling as traditional services decline due to the rise of the Internet and new technologies. Six main operators currently dominate the market: Société des Postes du Togo (SPT), a public operator with nationwide coverage, and private express courier services like DHL, Pako Fedex, Africa Global Logistics, UPS, and Top Chrono.

The industry is now rethinking its approach to find new growth opportunities, especially in e-commerce. This includes adopting modern solutions like geolocation for addressing and electronic payment systems. A new legal and regulatory framework could soon be set up to support these changes and guide the sector’s future.

Key Data Since 2021

Telecom Operators: 5 (YAS Togo, Moov Africa Togo, Café Informatique, Teolis, GVA)

Telephone Penetration Rate: 73%

Mobile Penetration Rate: 78%

Internet Penetration Rate: 71%

Mobile Money Penetration Rate: 60%

4G Network Coverage: Over 90% of the population

Octave Bruce