Togo First
Togo: Parliament ends extraordinary session, adopts four bills
Togo’s National Assembly closed its first extraordinary session of the year on Monday, adopting four bills on economic, financial and environmental matters.
One of the key measures revises the environmental framework law to strengthen protections in response to climate challenges and improve the management of natural resources.
Lawmakers also approved the transfer of the functions, staff and assets of the Youth Economic Initiatives Support Fund (FAIEJ) to the Agency for the Development of Very Small, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (ADTPME), as part of efforts to streamline public support for entrepreneurship.
Two other bills focus on microfinance regulation and combating counterfeiting and offenses involving currency and payment instruments within the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU).
All four bills were first approved in an initial reading, then passed by the Senate and formally adopted by the National Assembly in line with parliamentary procedure.
Lawmakers are due to reconvene in early April for the start of the first ordinary session. Several priority bills are expected, particularly on inclusive education, which the government has identified as a key priority for 2026.
R.E.D
Togo Raises 27.5 Bln CFA Francs in Second 2026 Debt Sale, Bids Hit 134.5 Bln
Togo carried out its second operation on the regional financial market for 2026 on Friday, March 20. The Togolese Treasury raised 27.5 billion CFA francs through a dual issuance of Treasury bonds (OAT) and Treasury bills (BAT), exceeding its initial target of 25 billion CFA francs.
According to results published by Togo First, the Treasury raised 9.5 billion CFA francs in three-year OATs carrying a fixed annual interest rate of 6.15%. A further 13 billion CFA francs was raised through five-year OATs at an annual interest rate of 6.35%. For the Treasury bills, with a 364-day maturity, the Treasury raised 5 billion CFA francs.
Total bids reached 134.5 billion CFA francs, representing a coverage ratio of 538.30%. The operation, Togo's second on the regional financial market this year, brings the country's total fundraising since January to 49.5 billion CFA francs.
For the full year, Togo plans to raise 463.5 billion CFA francs from the market to help finance the state budget, which stands at 2.751 trillion CFA francs.
Esaïe Edoh
Togo: Drinking water access hits 72% as rural coverage expands
Togo’s national drinking water access rate rose to 72% in 2025 from 60% in 2020, Sena Alipui, minister delegate in charge of water and sanitation, said at an event marking World Water Day 2026.
In rural areas, access has reached 77%, driven by expanded basic services across the country.
Alipui attributed the gains to infrastructure investment, the rollout of solar-powered standalone water stations and upgrades to production and distribution systems, particularly in urban and semi-urban areas.
During the event, officials also highlighted equity in access to water as an ongoing concern. Disparities persist, particularly for women and girls, who are often responsible for water collection.
To support ongoing efforts, the country has set up a fund for integrated water resource management to finance projects and strengthen resilience to climate change.
Despite the progress, challenges remain, including water stress in some regions.
R.E.D
Togo, Colombia sign MoU to deepen ties, advance diplomatic training
Togo and Colombia signed a memorandum of understanding last week to strengthen bilateral cooperation. The document was signed in Bogota by the foreign ministers of both countries, Robert Dussey and Rosa Yolanda Villavicencio, on the sidelines of the CELAC-Africa Forum (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States).
An earlier memorandum established a framework for political consultations between the two countries. The new agreement seeks to deepen cooperation, particularly in diplomatic training. It provides for collaboration between the two countries’ diplomatic academies through training programs and knowledge exchanges, to strengthen institutional dialogue between the two regions.
Officials said the collaboration should help build diplomats’ capacity and foster a better understanding of shared international issues.
Both sides said the agreement “confirms their intention to deepen relations and explore new partnership opportunities.”
Togo, Russia Eye Partnerships in Food, Mining and Energy Sectors
Togo and Russia are exploring new business opportunities for entrepreneurs from both countries and seeking to boost trade between Moscow and Lomé. The initiative was discussed last week in Lomé during a meeting between José Syménouh, president of the Togo Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI-Togo), and Maksim Petrov, Russia’s trade representative.
Three priority sectors have been identified for future partnerships: food security, mining and the energy sector. Both sides said they aim to move beyond basic trade toward the creation of joint industrial ventures that would generate local jobs and added value.
To that end, the two parties plan to set up a permanent cooperation framework between Russian and Togolese businesses. The mechanism is intended to help companies identify reliable partners, define joint project terms and deepen bilateral economic integration.
CCI-Togo intends to play a central role in strengthening ties between entrepreneurs from both countries, facilitating contacts and structuring dialogue between Russian investors and local project developers.
The initiative is expected to strengthen cooperation between Lomé and Moscow, after both countries signaled in November 2025 their intention to open embassies. That move is expected to improve coordination and expand bilateral projects, particularly in sectors linked to human capital development.
Esaïe Edoh
How Togo Calculates Its Inflation Rate
Every month, the National Institute of Statistics (INSEED) publishes Togo's inflation rate. But how is that figure calculated? Who collects prices, where, and for what purpose?
The process starts with a simple principle: to measure whether life is becoming more expensive, statisticians compare the prices of a fixed set of goods and services over time. This set is known as the consumer basket. It currently includes 810 items, ranging from food and medicines to clothing, fuel, mobile subscriptions, school fees and rent.
The basket is carefully constructed. It is based on a major national survey, the Harmonized Survey on Household Living Conditions (EHCVM), conducted in 2021, which asked thousands of Togolese households what they buy and in what proportions. Items that account for the largest share of household spending carry the greatest weight in the index. These are known as weights: each item’s importance reflects its share of household budgets.
Food accounts for 28% of the basket, reflecting its status as the largest household expense. Transport represents 12%, housing and energy 8.4%, and clothing 7.2%. Insurance and financial services, by contrast, carry a weight of just 0.1%, reflecting their marginal role in most household budgets.
4,790 outlets: monthly price collection
Once the basket is defined, prices must be collected. Each month, INSEED deploys enumerators across 4,790 outlets nationwide, including markets, supermarkets, pharmacies, filling stations, neighbourhood shops and restaurants. In total, 29,200 prices are recorded each month, each corresponding to a specific item at a specific location.
Nationwide coverage has been in place since 2014, spanning both urban and rural areas across seven geographic zones: the Autonomous District of Greater Lomé (DAGL), the Maritime region, Plateaux-Est, Plateaux-Ouest, Centrale, Kara and the Savanes. This setup allows INSEED to capture price differences between the capital and the rest of the country.
Once all prices are collected, INSEED calculates the Harmonized Consumer Price Index (IHPC). In February 2026, the index stood at 103.6, against a base of 100 set in 2023, indicating that prices were 3.6% higher than in 2023. By comparing this figure with the index for the same month a year earlier, INSEED calculates the year-on-year inflation rate, which was 0.4% in February 2026.
INSEED also publishes a second indicator: the average index over the past 12 months compared with the previous 12-month period. This measure, which stood at 0.1% in February 2026, is more stable and less sensitive to monthly seasonal fluctuations. It is the benchmark used by UEMOA to monitor economic convergence among its eight member states, against a ceiling of 3%.
A shared methodology across eight countries
This methodology was not developed by Togo alone. The IHPC is based on a common framework adopted in 1996 by the eight UEMOA member states, Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo, and later revised in 2008 and 2023. Harmonization allows inflation to be compared across countries on a consistent basis and enables the calculation of a regional index.
Inflation measurement is not purely technical. It is a key economic policy tool. Governments use it to adjust social policies, index certain wages or benefits, and assess household purchasing power. The BCEAO, the central bank for UEMOA, relies on it to guide monetary policy, including interest rate decisions. Businesses, investors and lenders also rely on it when assessing a country’s economic stability.
Fiacre E. Kakpo
Commonwealth Delegation Assesses Industrial and Logistics Investment Opportunities in Togo
Lome hosted a delegation from the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC) on an exploratory mission on Thursday and Friday, March 19-20. The group was in the country to assess investment opportunities across several sectors, as part of a broader effort by authorities to attract international capital.
The delegation, composed of company representatives, visited the Adétikopé Industrial Platform (PIA), where officials presented the facility before leading a tour of its industrial units, including Nutrisource and Vivace. The group then travelled to the Port of Lomé, inspecting its infrastructure, modern terminals and operational capacity, which have made it one of West Africa’s leading logistics hubs.
Arthur Trimua, minister delegate in charge of investment promotion and economic sovereignty, accompanied the delegation throughout the visits. The visits highlighted the country’s strengths in industrialisation, logistics and business climate reforms.
In addition to the site visits, the delegation held a working session with government officials. Discussions focused on concrete investment opportunities, Togo’s strategic priorities and potential collaboration with the Commonwealth network.
The CWEIC is the Commonwealth’s business network, promoting trade, investment and partnerships among member states. The mission could open new avenues for collaboration, particularly in the industrial, agri-food and logistics sectors, with the aim of supporting growth, creating jobs and accelerating structural transformation.
Gautier Agbékodovi
Togo signs investment MoU with China's WIETC in health, energy and infrastructure
Chinese engineering and public works group Weihai International Economic and Technical Cooperative Co. Ltd (WIETC) plans to invest in Togo across several strategic sectors. The company signed a memorandum of understanding with Togolese authorities earlier this week.
The agreement was signed by Arthur Trimua, minister for investment promotion and economic sovereignty, and WIETC representative Lu Xinyong. Under the agreement, the group will focus on four priority sectors: health, renewable energy, infrastructure and scientific research.
WIETC specializes in the construction of buildings, roads, airports, hydroelectric plants and water supply systems. The memorandum aims to support Togo’s economic transformation.
Financial and operational details were not disclosed.
For WIETC, the move is part of China’s foreign economic policy, particularly the Belt and Road Initiative, which seeks to expand China’s footprint through infrastructure investment in developing countries, especially in Africa.
For Togo, the partnership is part of the government’s strategy to attract foreign investment and boost its appeal to international investors.
Esaïe Edoh
African cotton producers meet in Lomé to tackle productivity challenges
African cotton producers will meet in Lomé from April 14 to 17, 2026, to review the sector’s performance and identify ways to boost productivity, at a time when several producing countries face structural challenges.
The meeting, part of the 18th session of the Regional Program for Integrated Cotton Production in Africa (PR-PICA), will bring together companies, researchers, producer organizations and agrochemical firms from across the region.
Participants will review the results of the 2025–2026 season in eight West and Central African countries, namely Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Mali, Senegal, Chad and Togo, before discussing key constraints affecting output and competitiveness.
Talks will also cover production practices such as pest control, soil fertility management and the development of crop varieties adapted to climate variability.
The discussions are expected to support efforts to improve production across participating countries, particularly in Togo, where the cotton sector has struggled in recent years.
Esaïe Edoh
Togo introduces new framework for forestry sector permits
Togo has introduced a new regulatory framework for its forestry sector. A ministerial order issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest Resources, Coastal Protection and Climate Change took effect on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, setting out how to obtain certificates, licences, authorisations and permits in the sector.
The rules introduce reforestation certificates and logging authorisations. Plantation owners can obtain reforestation certificates once their trees are at least three years old. They must also secure approval before carrying out any logging.
The order states that all imports and exports of forest products require prior authorisation. “Import licences are valid for 18 months and export licences for one year,” the ministry said.
Transporting forest products now requires both an authorisation and a transport permit.
The measure aims to bring Togo in line with international standards, help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and boost its international credibility. It also clarifies procedures and is expected to improve transparency and efficiency in managing the sector.
The government has launched several initiatives to protect forest resources, including a national reforestation programme aiming to plant one billion trees by 2030.
Esaïe Edoh