Togo First
Togo and China: Maritime Region and Shandong Province Eye Local-Level Collaboration
The Regional Council of the Maritime Region of Togo and the Chinese province of Shandong plan to establish a decentralized cooperation partnership in the near future. As part of this initiative, a Chinese delegation is currently visiting Lomé to explore avenues for collaboration.
During the visit, the delegation was informed about the economic assets of the Maritime Region, which has a population of around 3.5 million, according to the 2022 census, and thus represents a significant consumer market.
Local authorities also presented the key sectors that could be the focus of a partnership. These include agriculture, livestock, infrastructure, energy, environment, health, and institutional development.
Shandong Province, one of China's key regions, was showcased by the Chinese delegation for its strong economic and cultural profile. Situated on the eastern coast, it boasts a population exceeding 100 million and covers all 41 UN-recognized industrial sectors. According to Fan Huaping, Vice-Chairman of the Provincial People's Congress, the province recorded a GDP of €1.4 trillion in 2023.
Following the discussions, both sides agreed to pursue further talks aimed at establishing active decentralized cooperation, aligned with the momentum of China-Africa bilateral ties reaffirmed at the recent FOCAC 2024 Forum.
Esaïe Edoh
Seven Togolese Banks Join BCEAO’s Instant Payment Network
Seven Togolese financial institutions have officially joined the West African Economic and Monetary Union’s (WAEMU) Interoperable Platform for Instant Payment Systems (PI-SPI), the regional central bank BCEAO announced in a recent press release. The pilot project aims to modernize and unify payment systems across member countries.
The newly integrated banks include Banque Atlantique, BOA, COFINA, BIAT, CORIS Bank, Ecobank, and Orabank. Set for a formal launch on September 30, the platform promises 24/7 real-time transaction capabilities across various account types — from traditional bank accounts to mobile money.
This initiative is expected to cut transaction times and costs, while bolstering interoperability among diverse financial players. Notably, Ecobank and Orabank participated in earlier testing phases within Togo, supporting efforts to accelerate regional commerce through digital finance.
Since early June, live user trials have been underway, evaluating the platform’s security and usability. Positive results from these tests pave the way for a full-scale rollout across the WAEMU region.
This technological breakthrough promises to revolutionize payments across the WAEMU zone, enhancing the speed and reliability of financial flows while driving broader access to banking services in countries where such access is still limited.
This article was initially published in French by Ayi Renaud Dossavi
Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum
Lomé to Nouakchott: ASKY Airlines Expands Network with 30th Route in Africa
ASKY Airlines, the pan-African carrier headquartered in Lomé, has officially launched a direct route to Nouakchott, Mauritania, marking a key milestone in its regional expansion strategy. The service, inaugurated on August 2, 2025, brings ASKY’s network to 30 African cities and enhances Lomé’s position as a major regional hub.
The flight, operated by a 154-seat Boeing 737-800 including 16 Business class seats, operates three times weekly. ASKY’s Commercial Director, Martial Tévi-Bénissan, stated on LinkedIn that “This new route further strengthens Lomé’s role as a strategic hub for intra-African connectivity, significantly reducing travel times across West, Central, and Southern Africa. Passengers can now easily connect Nouakchott to cities such as Nairobi, Luanda, Brazzaville, Johannesburg, Cotonou, Libreville, Niamey, and many more, three times a week."
Until now, passengers traveling to Mauritania’s capital had to connect through Dakar, sometimes with overnight waits. ASKY’s new route offers a more efficient alternative, reducing travel times and cutting costs for passengers across the region.
The introduction of this route fits squarely within Togolese authorities’ ambitions to establish Gnassingbé Eyadéma International Airport as a pivotal regional logistics hub. After accommodating around 1.5 million passengers in 2024, the airport aims to increase that number to 2 million travelers, whether passing through or starting and ending their journeys in Lomé. The Nouakchott link is poised to play a significant role in meeting these goals.
Simultaneously, the route rollout complements ASKY Airlines' ongoing strategy, initiated in June 2024, to upgrade its operations. The airline intends to add two aircraft annually—mostly Boeing 787 models—building a fleet of 20 by 2027, all while launching two new destinations every year to enhance its continent-wide reach.
This article was initially published in French by Esaie Edoh
Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum
Togo to Launch 30 New General Secondary School Ahead of 2025-2026 School Year
Togo plans to open 30 new General Secondary School (CEGs) nationwide in time for the 2025–2026 school year. This initiative, spearheaded by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, seeks to broaden educational access—especially in rural and peri-urban communities where demand is escalating.
Minister Dodzi Kokoroko (pictured) explains that the expansion is designed to alleviate overcrowding and respond to the country’s rising student population.
The new schools will be distributed across the seven Regional Education Directorates, from Greater Lomé—with four new CEGs—to the Savanes region, which will see two. Central, Eastern, and Western Plateaux regions will receive five and ten schools respectively. Communities on the outskirts of major infrastructure hubs, including Toklolo, Chyimé, and Barkossi, stand to gain modern educational facilities as part of this rollout.
Beyond the construction of the school buildings, the plan includes the deployment of several hundred qualified teachers and the distribution of essential teaching materials to guarantee a smooth and effective launch in September.
Greater Lomé adopts geospatial tool to improve urban planning and service access
The District of Greater Lomé (DAGL) has officially approved a geospatial reference report aimed at guiding urban planning and service delivery across Togo’s capital and surrounding areas. The report, validated on July 30, 2025, is the outcome of a study launched in March to address unplanned urbanization in the region.
Conducted over four months, the study gathered geospatial, socio-economic, and infrastructure data to produce a technical decision-making tool for more coherent and sustainable urban management. The project aligns with Togo’s National Spatial Planning Framework (SNAT) for 2045, which seeks to promote balanced national development.
According to authorities, the data collected will allow a detailed analysis of how socio-economic infrastructure is distributed, highlight underserved zones, and guide the development or rehabilitation of public services. The overall goal is to better target the location of essential infrastructure while addressing the mounting challenges of rapid urban growth.
The report outlines the main drivers of unplanned urban expansion and its consequences for both the environment and residents’ quality of life. Between 2010 and 2022, the population of Greater Lomé grew from 1.57 million to 2.18 million, an average annual growth rate of 2.7%, while the area of 373 km² remained unchanged.
This demographic pressure has triggered rapid peri-urban sprawl, with informal housing encroaching on former agricultural lands. The result has been limited access to critical infrastructure, unequal public service distribution, congested transport networks, and fragmented urban development.
Through this initiative, the DAGL aims to transform Greater Lomé into a multi-centered, resilient city, better equipped to meet the needs of a growing population.
Agoè-Nyivé 5 Joins National Push to Decentralize Development Planning
The municipality of Agoè-Nyivé 5 officially launched the development of its Communal Development Plan (PDC) on Tuesday, July 29, 2025. The PDC will serve as a medium-term roadmap to structure local investments in the Sanguéra area.
The process began with a collective effort involving various stakeholders, including municipal officials, state representatives, traditional authorities, civil society, and members of the diaspora. The goal is to define development priorities with the local population in key areas like healthcare, education, rural infrastructure, drinking water, and electrification.
According to Mayor Enyonam Afiwa Gbodzo, the PDC is an essential tool for local governance. "Its effectiveness depends on its rigor," she said, urging stakeholders to take active ownership of the document. Prefect Dr. Tinaka Wédiabalo Kossi praised the initiative, calling it "a pathway to a structured future for the municipality."
Agoè-Nyivé 5, located in the Greater Lomé area, covers 28 square kilometers and has nearly 39,000 inhabitants across 19 villages, centered around Sanguéra. Its communal development plan is part of a national initiative supported by GIZ through the ProDeG IV program. The program is also being implemented in the municipalities of Wawa 1, Tchaoudjo, Doufelgou, and Golfe 7, which have also started drafting their PDCs this year.
Gabon Enlists Togo’s Expertise to Strengthen Tax Administration
Togo’s Fiscal and Customs Training Institute (IFFD) will provide its expertise to Gabon's administration under a new cooperation agreement signed on Wednesday, July 30, 2025, in Lomé. Togo’s Minister of Economy and Finance, Essowè Georges Barcola, and Gabon’s Minister of Public Service and Capacity Building, Marcelle Ibinga, concluded the partnership.
Under this agreement, Gabonese tax administration officers admitted to the program will receive training in taxation, customs, auditing, public management, and revenue collection. This aims to improve their performance and professionalism.
These new skills will help strengthen revenue mobilization as Gabon faces the challenge of collecting substantial resources to fund its economic development projects.
For Essowè Barcola, the initiative extends beyond administrative cooperation. "This agreement is a concrete example of active and strategic cooperation. It reflects our shared ambition to strengthen administrative capacities, build more efficient institutions, and make continuing education a driver of transformation within our administrations," he stated.
The minister also praised IFFD's expertise, calling it a "pool of talent capable of meeting the contemporary challenges of resource mobilization and sound economic governance."
Marcelle Ibinga expressed confidence in the potential of this cooperation. "I am convinced it can lead to the development of joint training programs, the exchange of best practices, and the creation of a regional platform for capacity building in public administration," she said. She also reaffirmed Gabon’s commitment to building a lasting partnership based on competence, transparency, and Pan-African solidarity.
IFFD plays a key role in professionalizing Togo's fiscal and customs administration. It is establishing itself as a reference center in West Africa for taxation and customs training.
Esaïe Edoh
Togo earns nearly CFA50bn from intra-WAEMU tourism in 2023
Togo collected CFA49.9 billion in tourism revenue from other West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) countries in 2023, according to new data from the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO) on regional tourism flows. The report ranks Togo among the top beneficiaries of intra-community travel.
The largest contributors to this income were Côte d’Ivoire (CFA17.7 billion), Burkina Faso (CFA13 billion), and Benin (CFA10.5 billion). Together, these three neighboring countries accounted for 82% of Togo’s total earnings from WAEMU-based tourists.
Senegal, Mali, Niger, and Guinea-Bissau also contributed smaller but notable amounts to Togo’s tourism revenue.
Togo’s spending abroad
In the same year, Togolese tourists spent CFA41 billion while traveling within the WAEMU region. The top destinations were Benin (CFA18.3 billion), Senegal (CFA8.2 billion), and Côte d’Ivoire (CFA5.8 billion). This left Togo with a net positive tourism balance of CFA8.9 billion, marking a surplus of incoming foreign exchange for the sector.
Despite its small size, Togo continues to promote its diverse range of landscapes, cultural sites, and natural attractions. These include the UNESCO-listed Koutammakou, sandy beaches along the Gulf of Guinea, the Kpimé waterfalls, northern savannas, equestrian festivals in the central region, and traditional Evala initiation rites in the Kara region.
Beyond leisure tourism, Togo has also set its sights on developing business tourism, an ambition still in progress.
Aného’s CLAC Launches Six-Month Digital Training to Boost Youth Employment
The Reading and cultural centre (CLAC) in Aného launched a new digital training programme on July 29, 2025. The course will run for six months and train 90 young people to work in digital professions.
The initiative forms part of the "D-CLIC dans les CLAC" project. The Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF) backs it, with implementation by the Urban Business and Entrepreneurship Centre (CUBE) incubator. The municipality of Aného and Togo's Ministry of Culture also support the programme.
The training targets employment and self-employment, offering three key courses: web and mobile development, communication and digital marketing, and a new course titled “community leader.” This last course addresses the specific digital needs of the Aného local market.
The CLAC centres in Aného and Iconi (Comoros) were selected for this pilot among more than 300 centres worldwide. Thi Hoang Mai TRAN, OIF Representative for West Africa, said, “The CLAC in Aného was chosen because of the town's dynamism, the presence of a fast-growing digital ecosystem, and its proximity to Lomé, the heart of Togo's digital sector.”
The project received over 400 applications for this training session, Urbain Amoussou, CUBE coordinator, confirmed.
Mayor Alexis Aquereburu of Lacs 1 described the initiative as “a valuable opportunity to open up local youth to the world and strengthen their skills in the digital age.”
This new session extends the D-CLIC programme, which trained more than 300 young people from December 2024 to June 2025 in Lomé, Kara, Dapaong, and Aného. The programme aims to continue expanding to more locations.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
Togo Holds Workshop to Boost Participatory Democracy and Local Accountability
Authorities in Togo are doubling down on participatory governance. On July 29-31, more than 100 municipal leaders, technicians, civil society members, and academics are gathered in Lomé for a major workshop focused on local democracy and accountability.
The event is organized under the Decentralisation and Governance Programme (ProDeG IV), with technical support from GIZ and funding from Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation (BMZ). The workshop aims to boost the capacity of municipalities to engage citizens in public decision-making.
Discussions at the workshop include how to promote citizen participation, strengthen civic oversight of government through Citizen Offices and collaboration charters, and integrate anti-corruption education into university programs.
Participants are also sharing real-life examples at a dedicated fair, encouraging peer learning and experience-sharing between municipalities.
"This initiative equips local elected officials and their teams with practical tools to build sustainable participatory governance," said Eliane Tete, Technical Advisor at ProDeG. This is essential at a time when citizens expect more from their local governments, while trust in institutions remains fragile.
The workshop takes place as Togo continues to deepen its decentralisation process, especially following the municipal elections held on July 17, 2025.