In Yokohama, where the ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) opened on Wednesday, 20 August 2025, Togolese President of the Council Faure Gnassingbé urged Africa and Japan to redefine their economic cooperation.

“We need to go beyond infrastructure. Africa and Japan must co-create industrial value chains. True prosperity comes from joint production. Our ambition is not just to be a transit hub. We want to transform our resources, produce locally and turn our young people into players in production, not just consumption,” Gnassingbé said.

Gnassingbé stressed the urgency of moving away from unequal trade relations. He called for a model built on shared production, technology transfer, and job creation. He highlighted automotive, energy, digital, and agribusiness as priority sectors for building integrated and connected ecosystems across the Indian Ocean.

Le Président du Conseil, @FEGnassingbe , a porté haut la voix des pays africains ce 20 août 2025 à Yokohama, à l’occasion du Forum sur le partenariat économique entre l’Afrique et les pays de l’Océan Indien.https://t.co/NZOgUjFSAv pic.twitter.com/fQoOy7RVVo

— Présidence du Conseil du Togo (@presidencecstg) August 20, 2025

With this vision, Lomé intends to consolidate its role as a regional logistics hub. The government plans to leverage its deep-water port, already seen as one of West Africa’s most efficient.

“Togo has chosen to be a strategic gateway serving the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the continent as a whole. The port of Lomé, the deepest on the West African coast, is already an essential logistics hub, capable of connecting Japanese industrial production directly to the African market,” Gnassingbé emphasised.

Esaie Edoh

In Togo, the government and Germany officially launched the Communes Financing Support Program (PAFC) on August 14, in Lomé. The initiative is backed by €20 million, or roughly CFA13 billion.

The program marks a turning point for local governance. For the first time, an international partner is contributing to the Local Authorities Support Fund (FACT), which has so far relied solely on the national budget. “This is a significant advancement reflecting the trust of our partners,” said Siangou Koumtchana, Technical Secretary of the FACT Management Commission.

The first stage of PAFC will benefit 60 communes across the Kara, Centrale, and Plateaux regions, with projects centered on education, healthcare, and boosting local economies. A second stage, estimated at €12 million, is planned to scale the program up to all 117 communes nationwide.

German authorities view the initiative as proof of their commitment to advancing credible and inclusive decentralization. Johannes Kinzinger, head of the KfW office in Lomé, highlighted “the central role of transparency and good governance” in the way resources will be managed.

The PAFC distinguishes itself by introducing assisted project management: communes will present initiatives aligned with their Communal Development Plans, while receiving stronger technical backing to maximize investment impact.

“This marks a turning point,” said Joseph Koami Gbloekpo Gomado, Minister of Land Use and Territorial Development and mayor of Golfe 1. He underlined that the program gives local governments a new instrument to tangibly improve the daily lives of their citizens.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Several African leaders, including Togo’s Faure Gnassingbé, President of the Council, attend the ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) starting Wednesday, August 20, in Yokohama, Japan. The Japanese government organizes the event in partnership with the United Nations, UNDP, the World Bank, and the African Union. It brings together heads of state, political leaders, and economic actors under the theme: “Co-creating innovative solutions with Africa.”

Le Président du Conseil, Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, est arrivé ce mardi 19 août 2025 au Japon, pour prendre part aux travaux de la neuvième Conférence internationale de Tokyo sur le développement de l’Afrique (TICAD 9), dont l’ouverture officielle est prévue pour demain à… pic.twitter.com/6MrKpGfC91

— Présidence du Conseil du Togo (@presidencecstg) August 19, 2025

During the conference's plenary sessions, President Gnassingbé meets with Japanese officials and business leaders. These meetings serve to showcase Togo’s strengths and seek increased foreign investment. The government aims to use this capital to advance infrastructure, secure food sovereignty, and develop digital mapping technologies.

The talks may lead to new agreements designed to deepen already strong ties between Lomé and Tokyo. Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reports that by the end of 2022, Japan invested nearly 41 billion yen (about CFA186 billion) in Togo, combining loans (9.35 billion yen), grants (28.45 billion yen), and technical assistance (3.01 billion yen).

On the trade front, Togo exported goods worth 2.27 billion yen to Japan in 2023, including sesame and non-ferrous metals. Meanwhile, Japan exported fibers and machinery worth 3.12 billion yen to Togo during the same period.

In addition to trade, Japan supports Togo’s development through targeted projects. For example, Tokyo signed a grant in November 2023 to fund a bypass road in Sokodé, aiming to enhance Togo’s logistical connectivity. Furthermore, Japan aids Togo's food security by donating rice under the Kennedy Round (KR) program.

Esaie Edoh

Togo’s Savanes Region Approves CFA840 Million Budget for 2025

The Savanes Regional Council in northern Togo adopted a budget of CFA840 million for the rest of 2025. The council approved the measure on Saturday, 16 August, during its third ordinary session held in Dapaong.

The council allocated the funds to several key sectors. In education, ten secondary schools will each receive new buildings with classrooms, offices, desks, and benches to improve learning conditions.

In health, maternity wards will be built in four prefectures. Officials say the facilities will reduce childbirth risks, improve newborn survival rates, and provide maternal health services closer to rural communities.

The budget also earmarks funds for the cotton sector, which plays a strategic role in the local economy, as well as for food crops. Authorities want to strengthen food security and help producers cope with ongoing security challenges in the region.

After the budget adoption, Regional Council President Banlepo Nabaguedjoa pledged fast action. “Starting tomorrow, these commitments must be translated into visible and measurable actions in our fields, our schools, our health centres, on our roads and in every village,” he said.

Esaïe Edoh

• Zener International Holding (ZIH) secured CFA13.5 billion with Ecobank’s support to expand in Guinea-Bissau.
• The funding will finance the takeover of Petrogal Guinea-Bissau assets, including petrol stations, fuel depots, and aviation storage.
• BOAD and other regional institutions joined the deal, reflecting a wider trend of African players replacing international majors.

Togolese energy group Zener International Holding (ZIH) has raised CFA13.5 billion to develop operations in Guinea-Bissau. Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI), through its subsidiary EDC Investment Corporation (EIC), structured the fundraising, the company confirmed this week.

The deal allows Zener to take over the assets of Petrogal Guinea-Bissau, once owned by Portugal’s Galp Energia. The assets include a network of petrol stations, strategic fuel and gas depots, and aviation storage facilities across the country.

“Taking over Petrogal GB means establishing a long-term foothold in a high-potential market and promoting a vision of locally invested, forward-looking energy,” said Jonas Aklesso Daou, president of ZIH.

Ecobank said the transaction fits its ambition to support African-led economic growth. “By facilitating this takeover, we are affirming our commitment to supporting visionary African companies in key sectors,” said Paul-Harry Aithnard, Ecobank’s Regional Executive Director for the West and Central African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA).

Ecobank worked with other regional financial institutions to complete the operation. BOAD contributed CFA5 billion in June, underscoring the scale of pooled financing behind the deal.

The transaction reflects a growing trend: global energy majors are gradually reducing their footprint in Africa while regional firms such as Zener expand. Analysts see this as part of broader pan-African growth and integration.

This is not Zener’s first major financing. In August 2022, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the World Bank’s private sector arm, granted the company €16.2 million. That package expanded LPG storage capacity by 3,600 tonnes, equipped five new service stations with gas cylinder exchange modules and solar kits, and supported energy transition infrastructure.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

• Organizers expect nearly 2,000 young people in Lomé for the second edition of the Youth Delivery Lab (YDL).
• Debates will focus on agro-industry, sports industry, peace, and social cohesion.
• Regional editions in Kara and Atakpamé already laid the groundwork in 2024.

The Youth Delivery Lab (YDL) will return to Lomé this year after a successful first edition in 2023. Organizers expect nearly 2,000 young people to attend, four times the number mobilized in the debut event.

Les thèmes du #YDL2025 sont là ! Autour du thème général "Valorisation du potentiel de la jeunesse au service du développement" On parlera :
? Agro-industrie
⚽ Industrie du sport
? Paix & cohésion sociale
Prêt·e à agir ? Rejoins-nous ? https://t.co/4COyYwr5Ur#YDL2025 #Togo pic.twitter.com/ZQc7tUbjdx

— Youth Delivery Lab (@YouthDLab) August 14, 2025

The roundtable will bring together young Togolese from across the country and the diaspora. It will also include researchers, entrepreneurs, association leaders, and professionals from both public and private sectors. Organizers want participants to exchange views, debate issues, and propose solutions under the theme “Harnessing the Potential of Young People for Development.”

The agenda already highlights several areas: development of the agro-industry, revitalization of the sports industry, and efforts to strengthen peace and social cohesion. Each topic reflects priorities voiced by young people in earlier consultations.

Ahead of the main event, organizers held regional editions in Kara and Atakpamé in August 2024. These sessions aimed to capture local realities and ensure representation from young people nationwide.

The first YDL, also held in Lomé in 2023, focused on “Promoting Local SMEs to Become National Champions.” That edition gathered participants from every economic region and from diverse sectors to discuss the foundations of nation building.

Organizers opened online registration several weeks ago and continue to welcome sign-ups from interested participants.

Octave A. Bruce 

On August 16, the Togolese government launched the 2025 edition of the “Active Holidays in Companies” project in Lomé and several regional towns. The Ministry of Public Service Reform, Labour and Social Dialogue spearheads the initiative, with support from the National Employment Agency (ANPE) and the private sector.

The project gives Togolese students their first professional experience through holiday work placements. It seeks to keep young people engaged during the break while strengthening their practical and interpersonal skills.

From August 18, more than 1,200 youth, selected through a competitive process, will start placements in both parastatal bodies and private companies nationwide.

The new project adds to existing initiatives like the AIDE program and the national volunteering scheme. It aligns closely with President Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé’s goal to boost youth employability and professional integration. Employment Minister Gilbert Bawara said, “We are focused on meeting our young people’s needs and giving them a chance to learn the demands of the working world during their training. The world of work is tough, so we must equip our youth to be ready and operational once their studies finish.”

Thierry Awesso, vice-president of the Conseil national du patronat (CNP), praised the initiative, saying, “While these young people come to learn, they will also bring fresh ideas and energy that can improve businesses. This project showcases strong cooperation between public and private sectors and gives our youth a valuable chance to prepare for their careers.”

Before starting, participants received training on soft skills, citizenship, and civic responsibility. They will also receive a lump-sum allowance and registration with the National Social Security Fund (CNSS) for professional risk coverage.

Esaie Edoh

The Kara Regional Council in Togo approved a priority action plan estimated at CFA1.9 billion on August 16, 2025, during its third ordinary session in Kara.

Council members outlined nine key projects targeting local development in three areas: environment, education, and water and sanitation. The plan budgets CFA797 million for 2025 and 1.116 billion for 2026.

The State will finance the projects via the Fund to support local authorities (FACT). In the environmental sector, the Council allocated CFA106.7 million for reforestation and establishing new forests across the region’s seven prefectures.

For water and sanitation, the plan commits CFA118.1 million to rehabilitate boreholes and independent water points in 17 localities. In education, CFA118.7 million will support renovating school buildings and equipping lower and upper secondary schools.

These projects mark the start of the Council’s efforts since its installation in January 2025. Its mission aims to drive balanced regional development under a framework of strengthened local governance.

This article was initially published in French by Esaïe Edoh

Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum

• Alain Nkontchou's Bosquet Investments acquired 21.22% of Ecobank for $100 million from Nedbank.

• Ecobank raised $250 million in July via Tier 1 convertible bonds to boost its capital and support African expansion.

• Nedbank sells Ecobank shares to refocus on Southern and East Africa, while Ecobank sells its Mozambican subsidiary to FDH Bank.

Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI), the pan-African bank headquartered in Lomé, welcomed a new major shareholder. Bosquet Investments Ltd., owned by Alain Nkontchou, bought 21.22% of Ecobank’s capital for $100 million from Nedbank, Ecobank’s main shareholder for 17 years. The deal, announced through an agreement, should close by the end of 2025 after regulatory clearance.

This purchase marks a comeback for Nkontchou, who served on Ecobank’s Board for about a decade before stepping down last year. The former chairman now plans to back the bank’s "Growth, Transformation and Returns" strategy aimed at sustainable growth.

The timing of the investment aligns with a busy period for Ecobank. In July, the bank completed a $250 million private offering of Tier 1 convertible bonds (AT1). The bonds sold quickly and will strengthen Ecobank’s capital base and support its expansion across Africa.

For Nedbank, the sale fits its strategic shift to contain risks in Central and West Africa. The South African group now focuses on its stronger markets in Southern and East Africa.

Meanwhile, Ecobank continues streamlining its regional operations. On August 6, the group confirmed the sale of its Mozambican unit, Ecobank Mozambique, to Malawi’s FDH Bank.

Ecobank operates from Lomé across 35 African countries. The group serves over 32 million customers and manages assets worth several billion dollars.

This article was initially published in French by Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum