Togo First
Electricity: This is how Togo steadily moves towards its goal of universal coverage
Togo hopes to achieve 100% electricity coverage by 2030, against 59% now. By then, the share of renewables in the energy mix should be 50%, according to the country’s ambitions.
To this end, Lomé has carried out several projects such as building energy infrastructures, aimed at first reducing shortages, and consolidating achievements toward setting up an environment that is fit for industrialization
From the 2018 roundtable, to draw the national electrification strategy, to the launch of the Blitta photovoltaic power plant, Togo strives, every year, to achieve universal access to electricity.
In this article, we quickly review some energy projects and infrastructures recently developed in Togo
Contour Global
To put an end to the permanent load shedding in the country, the authorities inaugurated in October 2010, Contour Global’s thermal power plant. This is a tri-fuel power plant that runs on HFO fuel, diesel, and natural gas. The plant has an installed capacity of 100 MW and has been getting its natural gas supplies through the Société de Gazoduc Ouest Africain pipeline since 2019.
Kekeli Efficient Power Plant
In April 2021, the Togolese authorities inaugurated the Kekeli Efficient Power plant to boost the country's installed capacity. With an expandable production capacity of 65 MW, the project required an investment of CFA85 billion, provided by Eranove, which owns 75% of the facility. The government holds the remaining stake, 25%, via Kifema Capital, an investment vehicle of Togo Invest, a public holding whose shareholders include the national social security fund (CNSS), INAM, and the CCIT.
Kékéli should eventually produce 532 GWh annually to supply more than 250,000 Togolese households or more than 1.5 million people. This power plant increases Togo's electricity production capacity by 50%.
Blitta Solar Plant
The Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed solar power plant or Blitta’s solar plant (located in the central region, 262 km from Lomé) was built by AMEA Togo Solar, a subsidiary of AMEA Power, and inaugurated in June 2021.
With an initial capacity of 30 MWp, this PV plant has over 5,000 solar panels and is expected to generate approximately 90,255 MWh per year. Its output should cover around 158,333 Togolese households.
AMEA power, a subsidiary of Al Nowais Investissement (ANI) based in the United Arab Emirates, was awarded the right to operate the plant for a period of 25 years with the specification to contribute to the saving of one million tons of CO2 emissions.
In the project’s second phase, the installed capacity will be extended by 20 MW, using financing of $25 million (CFA15 billion) from Abu Dhabi Exports (ADEX) which concluded on November 23, 2022, an agreement with Togo.
Two plants in the pipeline
Togo plans to build two more solar plants in the coming years, one in Salimde, (In the Tchaoudjo prefecture) and the other in Awandjelo (Kozah).
Last June, the BOAD approved a CFA25 billion financing for the construction of the Awandjelo plant. The latter should generate an additional 42 MWp, and bring renewables’ share in Togo’s energy mix to 40.
Togo, let’s recall, aims to have renewable energy make up 50% of its energy mix by 2030.
Off-grid networks
In Togo, rural electricity projects are steered by the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Agency.
Several companies, including BBOXX, EDF, and Sun King-Soleva, are actively working to promote universal access to electricity by developing innovative technologies and providing solar energy services to communities not connected to the grid.
In 2019, Togo launched the Cizo project in partnership with BBOXX, a renewable energy company that provides affordable solar energy systems to off-grid communities in Africa and Asia. Soleva joined the initiative a few years later before it was acquired, in 2022, by Sun King, a renewable energy developer. The project’s goal is to democratize access to electricity by providing affordable individual solar kits to more than 2 million Togolese (or about 300,000 households).
In 2021, the Cizo was complemented by the Tinga Fund, a mechanism to facilitate access to electricity through the provision of repayable government grants to rural people. In its first phase, the project should reach 33,000 households.
Togolese President attends Leaders Summit in Washington on Biden’s invitation
Faure Gnassingbe, the President of Togo is currently in Washington, US. Invited by Joe Biden, the Togolese leader represents his country at the Leaders Summit which is taking place in the American capital on December 13, 14, and 15. The Togolese presidency disclosed the news on December 12, 2022.
"This high-level international meeting takes place in a particular global context, marked by economic, health, and security crises. The participants will reflect together to adjust the priorities of cooperation in the face of contemporary challenges that affect all countries,” the presidency wrote in its statement.
The meeting should pave the way for a stronger partnership between Togo and the US, one “which will be based on common values of peace, democracy, human rights, and development.”
Around 50 African delegations are expected at the Summit. While this meeting will give African leaders an opportunity to discuss their concerns and needs, it should enable the United States to grow its influence in Africa, at a time when the competition–commercial and geopolitical–with other powers like Russia and China is getting tougher in this part of the world.
A business forum in the US
During the event, the Togolese delegation will also work to bolster its partnership with American businesses. “On the sidelines of the Leaders Summit, the Togolese delegation will participate in a business forum designed to promote the commercial partnership between the United States and African countries”, the Togolese presidency said.
Togo, like it has been doing with other countries in recent years, will use this opportunity to explore its foreign investment options in the US.
"Increasing investment flows, promoting innovation, digital transformation, food security, and climate sustainability will be among other topics to be discussed during the panels" the same source added.
The day before the Summit opened, the Biden administration announced that the US would commit $55 billion to Africa over the next three years.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
Lome to host Global Development Policy Forum 2022
The Global Development Policy Forum (GDPF 2022) will take place in Lomé on December 14 and 15. This year, the theme picked for the forum is “Innovative policymaking for global sustainable development”.
The talks, which will focus on public management and leadership, are organized by the Tod’Aers Network and the Lome Business School (LBS), in partnership with London-based One Young World.
“The Global Development Policy Forum (GDPF 2022) will connect experts and leaders from both private and public sectors, as well as from academia. Participants will include delegates from government entities, international entities, public policy institutions, national agencies, private sector enterprises, multilateral & development organizations, scientific & academic institutions,” end-users, and consumer services, the event’s organizing committee wrote on the event's website.
Among others, participants will discuss issues such as public leadership & ethical governance, quality education & capacity building, youth empowerment, and civic engagement.
It will be a hybrid event, held physically at the Lome Business School and online via Zoom.
Togo: PM Tomegah-Dogbe launches rural road rehabilitation project in Vo prefecture
Last week, Togo’s Prime Minister, Victoire Tomegah-Dogbé, launched works to rehabilitate 43 km of rural roads in the Vo prefecture.
Carried out by Entreprise des Grands Bâtiments et Routes (EGBR), the works should take 11 months. They will help open up several communities of the prefecture, such as Klologo, Kponou, Togoville Kouenou, Sévagan, Sévatonou, Tchadomé, and Djokoto, which are all located along the N°34 National Road (RN34).
Opening up these areas aligns with the government’s 5-year roadmap which plans for the development of at least 4,000 km of rural roads across the country. The goal of the authorities is to accelerate integration in rural areas, by making it easier for households and farmers living in these parts of the country to access input and markets.
According to a report recently issued by the Togolese authorities entitled "Bilan Campagne 2021-2022 & Perspectives 2022-2023", the development of 162 km of rural tracks has begun under the Togo Agricultural Development Support Project (PADAT). This adds to works to build 603 km of other tracks under the Rural Track Support Project (PAPR).
Esaïe Edoh
Cotton: Togo launches new commercialization campaign
Togo launched the 2022-2023 cotton commercialization campaign last Friday, December 9. During this campaign, launched in Korbongou (Savanes region), the country should sell 52,000 t of cotton. The forecast was made by the Nouvelle Société Cotonière du Togo (NSCT).
A kilogram of cotton will be sold for CFA300, as the sector’s actors decided last April. For its part, the NSCT said it will “mobilize the necessary logistics to ensure efficient collecting and rapid payment of cotton farmers.”
Regarding distribution, most of the cotton which will be sold during the recently-started campaign was produced in the 2021-2022 season – a little over 50,000 t.
It should be emphasized that despite having been taken over by Singapore’s Olam, Togo’s cotton industry still struggles. According to the ministry of agriculture, the country produced 50,463 t of cotton in 2021-2022. This was far behind the expected output, 130,000 t, and even lower than the 66,000 t produced the year before.
Esaïe Edoh
Togo: EV manufacturer M Auto and TotalEnergies partner to advance electric mobility
E-bike maker M Auto has partnered with TotalEnergies, the French oil group, to speed up the transition to electric mobility in Togo. The two signed an agreement in this framework on December 9, 2022. On the same day, the new partners inaugurated their first “Swap and Go” kiosk (for charging and swapping batteries), located at TotalEnegies’ filling station in Totsi (Lomé).
With the new partnership, those who currently use one of M Auto’s 2,000 e-bikes that circulate in Togo will be able to charge their battery at any Total station across the country.
"At M Auto, we are committed to transforming the existing 2-wheeled mobility in Africa from thermal to electric motorcycles. Very soon, we will open many more exchange stations with TotalEnergies across Togo," said Raman Malhotra, Director of Operations at M Auto.
Indeed, M auto's strategy relies on a large battery-swapping network aimed at guaranteeing its customers a good experience and fostering the transition to electric mobility, a goal to which the TotalEnergies Group has committed.
"Because the transport and mobility sector is changing, our role as a multi-energy company is to encourage this change, to adapt and to commit ourselves to multimodal and low-carbon mobility," said Frédéric Maupetit, CEO TotalEnergies-Togo.
The collaboration between M Auto and TotalEnergies, according to our sources, also contributes to the Togolese government’s vision to have at least 3% of the 2-wheeled bikes circulating in Togo by 2025 being e-bikes.
Let’s recall that recently the EV manufacturer announced it would assist the government in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, through the Transition to electric mobility project. Launched in September 2022, the project is financed by the Global Environment Fund (GEF).
Esaïe Edoh
EU renews partnership with Togolese Agency for Volunteering, for another five years
Togo will renew its partnership with Togo’s National Agency for Volunteering (ANVT), for another five years. This was announced on December 5, 2022, on the International Day for Volunteering (IDV).
Over the past five years, the EU delegation helped deploy around 155 volunteers in Togo and contributed about CFA100 million as part of its partnership with the ANVT.
"Togo is exceptional regarding its volunteer program. It is really a large-scale program that allows young Togolese, not only job seekers, to have a professional experience, but also young people who have dropped out of school to get their foot in the door, and to get better chances for a professional future," said Hugo van Tilborg, Cooperation Officer and representative of the European Union delegation. "For the European Union, youth employment is something crucial, and that is why we support this volunteer program in Togo, through the ANVT," he added.
Togo launched its volunteer program 10 years ago and it has had since then more than 56,000 volunteers involved in various projects, in the sectors of education, environmental protection, health, and support to rural communities.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
The national agricultural transformation agency of Togo should be operational next month
The National Agricultural Transformation Agency of Togo (ATA) should be operational in January 2023. This was recently revealed by the ministry of agriculture.
On December 5th, the source launched a call for applications to recruit members of the top management of the ATA. The ministry said it is looking for "People of Togolese nationality, highly dedicated, combative, and entrepreneurial, able to work under pressure to join the ATA, in order to transform agriculture in Togo.”
Specifically, the positions sought are a right-hand man to the General Manager, a Director of Analytical Studies, a Director of Administration and Finance, and an Executive Director. The deadline for submission of applications is December 21, 2022.
ATA aims to be a nodal agency inspired by Asia. It will adopt the method of work in use in the private sector. The agency was announced in April 2022 by President Faure Gnassingbe.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
Togo: Government invites the local private sector to invest at the Industrial Platform of Adetikope
A week ago, on December 6, the minister for investment promotion, Kayi Mivedor, met with actors of the Togolese private sector. The two parties discussed the Industrial Platform of Adetikope (PIA) and how the local private sector can gain from joining it.
"We would like, eventually, that the Togolese private sector, for its investment projects, reinvestment or diversification, thinks of settling on this site," Mivedor said.
In response, the honorary president of the Association of Large Enterprises of Togo (AGET), José Kwasi Symenouh, believes that "there are not only foreigners who can develop their business, but also the Togolese who want it.”
The government also suggested collaborative projects between nationals, or between nationals and foreigners looking to operate on the PIA.
The PIA is a 400-ha industrial park that is destined to receive several factories. It results from a partnership between the State and Arise IIP. The project cost the two partners CFA130 billion.
Esaïe Edoh
The African Observatory for Good Governance Promotion will reward Togo’s Sandra Johnson during its upcoming Gala Dinner
Sandra Ablamba Johnson will attend the 2022 Gala Dinner of the African Observatory for the Promotion of Good Governance, an organization based in Côte d'Ivoire, which will be held on December 23. On the occasion, she will be doubly acknowledged for her good governance as the current Minister, and the Secretary General of the Togolese Presidency.
According to our sources, she will receive two awards: the "Special Prize for Economic Development and the Promotion of Private Investment in Togo," and "the Prize for Women's Leadership in Togo."
The African Observatory for the Promotion of Good Governance particularly took stock of Johnson’s efforts in improving Togo’s business climate and making the country more attractive to foreign investment.
In 2020, her efforts helped Togo jump 40 places in the former Doing Business index, making it the top reformer in Africa and the 3rd worldwide, that year. The same trend was observed in 2019 when Togo gained 19 places in the global ranking.
Sandra Johnson is not the only Togolese who will be distinguished during the upcoming Gala. There are two more, namely Col. Dokisime Gnama Latta and Louis Biyao. The first heads Togo’s civil aviation agency (ANAC) and the Société Aéroportuaire de Lomé-Tokoin (SALT); he will receive the Pan-African Prize for the Best Aeronautical Manager in Africa. Biyao, for his part, is a lawyer at the Paris Bar and he is to receive the Pan-African Prize for the Best African Business Lawyer. It should be noted that the attorney is the legal advisor of the Togolese channel New World TV. The latter obtained the broadcasting rights of the World Cup in French-speaking sub-Saharan African countries before the French Canal+.
Last year, Philippe Kokou Tchodie, head of the Togolese Tax Revenue Office (OTR), received from the Observatory the Pan-African Prize for the best manager of financial management.