EDF Renewables, part of the EDF Group, has secured a $10 million senior loan from Mirova, a sustainable investment manager under Natixis Investment Managers.
This cash injection will boost EDF’s Energy For All platform, which pushes off-grid solar solutions across Africa, especially in Togo.

Mirova’s Gigaton fund now fuels EDF’s expansion in key African nations: Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon, South Africa, and Togo.

Through its Bboxx EDF Togo joint venture, EDF targets rural communities lacking grid access. The partnership plans to roll out solar home kits, water pumps, and solar farming systems.

“Thanks to this support, we will be able to provide decarbonized electricity to 5 million people by 2030,” said Xavier Rouland, director of off-grid projects at EDF Renewables.

More than 80% of the world’s unelectrified population lives in sub-Saharan Africa.
Off-grid solar now dominates new electricity connections. The World Bank reports that off-grid solar accounted for 55% of new connections between 2020 and 2022. The sector needs $21 billion in cumulative investment by 2030 to realize its full potential.

In Togo, Bboxx-EDF already drives the Cizo rural electrification project, but EDF is not alone. Togo recently secured €26.5 million from the African Development Bank for a 62 MWp solar plant in Sokodé. Just weeks ago, Chinese firm TBEA broke ground on another solar plant in Dapaong, northern Togo.

This article was initially published in French by Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum

Togo has paused the issuance of new mining permits for prospecting and exploration. The Ministry of Mines and Energy Resources has recently issued a decree in this regard.

This “strategic pause”, according to the Ministry, will give Togo time to overhaul its Mining Code. “This is a strategic pause, the time to provide our country with a legal framework that is better adapted, more rigorous, and geared towards sustainability, transparency, and inclusion,” the Ministry states.

The suspension fits reforms launched under Togo’s Fifth Republic. The country adopted a new Constitution on May 6, 2024. Authorities have already started reviewing the Mining Code. 

The reform aims to lead to a stricter and more suitable framework for natural resource exploitation. The Ministry describes this as “a further step towards a more responsible and equitable mining sector.”

The decree halts permits for all mineral substances nationwide. The ban does not cover building materials and industrial minerals.

Introduced in 1996, the current Mining Code was amended in 2003. According to the authorities, it “appears obsolete in the face of contemporary environmental, social, and economic challenges.”

This article was initially published in French by Esaïe Edoh

Edited in English by Ola Schad Akinocho

Togo’s agricultural exports reached CFA152.9 billion in 2023, marking a moderate increase of 2.5% compared to 2022, according to official data from the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO) consulted by Togo First.

The year featured contrasting dynamics across sectors. 

Cocoa emerged as the main driver, with raw bean export revenues surging 54.7% to CFA16.7 billion. Export volumes jumped 55.5%, from 8,357 to nearly 13,000 tonnes, despite a slight 0.5% drop in average selling prices.

In contrast, the cotton sector continued its decline. External sales of lint fell 32.1% in value to CFA19.1 billion, according to the BCEAO. The central bank attributed the drop to a growing disaffection among Togolese farmers, who shifted to more profitable crops such as soybeans. Overall, cotton exports dropped 27% to 16,511 tonnes.

Exports of plant-based food products, including oilseeds, cereals, flour, fruit, and vegetables, rose 8.2% to CFA109.1 billion. This segment remained the most dynamic, boosted by strong oilseed exports, which increased 9.6%, mainly to ECOWAS countries. Cereals and flour exports, however, fell sharply by 35.7%. 

Agricultural raw materials such as cottonseed and wood exports dropped 26.2% to CFA2.9 billion. India, Burkina Faso, and Mali remained Togo’s main customers for these products.

Overall, Togo’s performance reflected mixed fortunes for cash and food crops. From 2019 to 2023, agricultural exports grew from 110 billion to nearly CFA153 billion, representing an average annual growth rate of about 8.41%, despite fluctuations in some years.

By Ayi Renaud Dossavi

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Last week, the Togolese Revenues Office (OTR) and the Togo Professional Union of Customs Agents  (UPRAD-Togo) held a workshop to streamline customs clearance at the Port of Lomé (PAL) and to strengthen public-private collaboration.

Discussions between OTR and UPRAD-Togo focused on optimizing procedures, simplifying formalities, and speeding up digitalization. This should contribute to the PAL’s ambition to reinforce its role as a sub-regional hub.

Both sides agreed to keep a steady technical dialogue. They plan to identify and remove logistical bottlenecks.

These talks match recent reforms initiated by the PAL. These include the Sydonia World IT system and the automated risk management system. The reforms have already cut customs clearance times and improved transparency.

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The Togolese Revenue Office (OTR) in Togo has launched a nationwide campaign to georeference land titles issued before 2007. The tax agency wants to secure land ownership by modernizing the national cadastral system. The move aims to align Togo’s land management with international standards.

The OTR urges holders of non-georeferenced land titles from before 2007 to contact cadastre and land conservation offices in Lomé or regional capitals. The agency invites owners to start the updating process. The cost for the operation stands at CFA35,000 per title.

Georeferencing attaches precise geographical coordinates to each land title. The process reduces boundary disputes and neighbor conflicts. It also increases legal certainty for landholders.

The OTR bases its strategy on digitizing the land register and centralizing land data. Since August 1, 2024, every parcel of land now carries a Unique Parcel Number (NUP). The system enables easier identification and traceability of land nationwide.

The OTR also introduced the Guichet Foncier Unique (single land office) (GFU). The GFU streamlines procedures, boosts transparency, and helps reduce land ownership disputes.

This article was initially published in French by Esaïe Edoh

Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum

The Togolese Football Federation (FTF) approved a 2025 budget of CFA3.8 billion at its ordinary congress in Aného on May 23. The new budget tops last year’s CFA3.6 billion by 5.7%. Over two years, the FTF has lifted its budget by 18%—up from CFA 3.2 billion in 2023.

The FTF’s executive committee said the surge aims to bolster Togolese soccer. Other efforts planned to achieve this goal include: continuing the construction of the National Technical Center in Gbavé, laying artificial turf at its headquarters, and renovating regional league offices. 

The Federation will also fund national competitions—men’s first and second division championships, regional leagues, youth tournaments, and other soccer events. Player training and supervision stay high on the priority list.

FIFA will bankroll most of the budget—CFA2.7 billion comes from the global soccer body. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) chips in CFA300 million, and the Togolese government adds CFA270 million. Sponsors and competition revenues will cover the rest.

This article was initially published in French by Esaïe Edoh

Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum

Togo increased its municipal council seats from 1,527 to 1,667, adding 140 new seats. The change takes effect for the local elections set for July 10.

The President of the Council approved this decision, following a proposal from the Ministry of Territorial Administration, Decentralization and Traditional Chieftaincy.
The move followed consultations within the Cadre Permanent de Concertation (CPC), a dialogue regrouping government and political actors.

Therefore, the Savanes region, with 16 communes, will have 244 municipal councillors. The Kara region, with 22 communes, will have 270 councillors. The Centrale region, with 15 communes, will elect 197 councillors. The Plateaux region, with 32 communes, will have 428 councillors. Additionally, the Maritime region, including 13 communes of Greater Lomé, holds the highest number with 528 councillors across 32 communes.

Despite the rise in councillors, the number of municipalities is the same: 117. Authorities say the revision answers political parties’ demands and shows the government’s commitment to making the electoral process more inclusive.

In line with this, the government also lowered the deposit fees for candidacies, again responding to political parties’ requests.

This article was initially published in French by Esaie Edoh

Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum

The Togolese Local Authority Support Fund (FACT) has distributed more than CFA41.8 billion over the past five years. According to a May 21 report, the Fund’s annual allocations rose steadily from CFA2.63 billion in 2020 to CFA9.5 billion in 2025, up by over 260%.

The FACT helps boost local governments’ capacity to address priority needs in areas like water, sanitation, education, and urban development.

The Fund operates under the joint supervision of the Ministries of Economy and Territorial Administration. It supports infrastructure projects and efforts to professionalize local administrations, promoting territorial equity and inclusive development.

“The FACT is a tool for raising the profile of government action at the local level,” said Dr. Siangou Koumtchane, Technical Secretary of FACT’s management commission. He called for increased media coverage of the projects financed by the fund.

This article was initially published in French by Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum