Togo is no more the country with the cheapest internet offers in the WAEMU. According to the ARCEP, the country’s telecom regulator, it was dethroned by Côte d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso. 

In a press release issued on November 15, 2022, the ARCEP stated that Canalbox (Groupe Vivendi Africa, GVA) and Togocom (operating in Togo) were outpaced by Moov Africa’s subsidiaries in Côte d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso.

In addition to fixed internet access, Moov Africa’s subsidiaries have the cheapest offers in all ranges thanks to the many advantages. "These advantages are characterized by unlimited fixed-line intra-network calls, fixed-line inter-network voice packages, mobile voice packages, or mobile data packages, offered free of charge to subscribers," ARCEP said.

According to the ARCEP, Moov Africa Ivory Coast and Moov Africa Burkina Faso charge respectively CFA15,000 and CFA30,000 for their 50 Mbps and 200 Mbps offers – the same as Canalbox and Togocom. However, in addition to these offers, there are other advantages such as a mobile package of 60 minutes in Burkina and unlimited fixed-line calls on-net, 60 minutes of fixed-line calls to any network, 150 minutes of mobile calls, and 3 GB of mobile data.

Commenting on the new ranking, Yaovi Galley, head of ARCEP, “strongly encourages Internet service providers in Togo to be more generous and innovative with their offers, emulating the best rates in the sub-region and the rest of the world.”

Esaïe Edoh

Togo’s Prime Minister, Victoire Tomegah-Dogbe, met with around 20 western businessmen mobilized by the Tony Blair Foundation. She presented them with business opportunities her country has to offer.

Among others, the PM told the businessmen about the more attractive business climate, the better legal and tax regulation, natural potentialities, as well as the peace, stability, and security that the country enjoys. 

Several ongoing projects – notably in the energy, telecommunication, and industrialization sectors – at the Adetikope Industrial Platform (PIA) were also presented, in the presence of other officials. 

Kayi Mivedore, Minister for Investment Promotion, who also attended the meeting, said at its end: “These are investors who have been identified because they have a strategy of relocating their investments in Africa. For us, it is a good opportunity to meet them, to show them what is being done in Togo.”

Esaïe Edoh

This year, the Inter-African Coffee Organisation (IACO) is holding its annual meetings in Lomé. The five-day event was launched on November 14 by Togo’s Minister of Trade and Local Consumption, Kodjo Adedze.

"African coffee has a major role to play in our State's development. It will, if we can set up here, on the continent, all the chains of value that it generates," said Minister Adedze at the opening. "Unfortunately, Africa keeps exporting 2/3 of its production without added value and imports the equivalent of a third in the form of finished products, that is soluble coffee and ground coffee. It is therefore clear that the added value of African coffee production, or rather the sweat of our African sisters and brothers, benefits mainly foreign industries," he added.

Empowering women

This year’s meetings focus on growing female entrepreneurship in the coffee sector, as the theme picked is “Empowering Youth and Women in the African Coffee Industry”.

According to the Togolese Minister of Trade, this theme “sufficiently demonstrates that issues related to inclusion, women, and youth empowerment are important pillars for the revival of the coffee sector in Africa.”

Among others, stakeholders present will lay the foundations for strengthening women’s position in the coffee sector, which in Togo is one of the main cash crops.

Also, the meeting includes the High-Level Political Forum on Coffee, the 5th Scientific Conference on African Coffee, the 62nd General Assembly of the IACO, and the 10th African Coffee Symposium.

Togo does not only host the event this year, but it also chairs it as well and next year, a Togolese, Enselme Gouthon, will take over the International Coffee Council (ICO). Gouthon, who is currently the Executive Secretary of the Coordinating Committee for Coffee and Cocoa of Togo (CCFCC) and President of ACRAM (the Agency for Robusta Coffee of Africa and Madagascar), was appointed last month.

A week ago, the international airport of Lomé inaugurated its new power plant and lighting system. The installations, which cost CFA4 billion, were commissioned by the Togolese Minister of Road, Air, and Rail Transport, Affoh Atcha-Dedji.

The new plant and lighting system were set up by the Agency for the Safety of Air Navigation in Africa and Madagascar (ASECNA). They aim to boost air safety in Africa and improve the Agency’s navigation services, as well as “ensure optimal air safety in our country,” according to Minister Atcha-Dedji. 

The project is part of ASECNA’s Services and Equipment Strategy. It should also contribute to the Togolese government’s ambition to make Lomé’s airport a West African logistics hub.

Esaïe Edoh 

The Togolese government plans to take several measures next year, to bolster social inclusion and improve the country’s business climate. These measures were disclosed last Friday, November 11, during the council of ministers dedicated to the adoption of the 2023 finance bill. 

In 2023, the government plans to extend tax exemption from school canteens to universities and companies. The authorities also want to reduce the patent rate to help fabric sellers to be more competitive. 

In the construction and building sector, equipment and materials will also benefit from tax and duty exemption. According to the government, this aims to support “construction and public works firms in the country.”

Moreover, insurance premiums that employers pay their employees will now be tax deductible. "The idea here is to assist the implementation of universal health insurance and at the same time support companies that are taking the step towards social protection for their employees," said government spokesman Ayewouadan Akodah.

These new measures add to those taken in 2020 to help people better live and cope with inflation.

At the same time, Lomé added that "the state budget for 2023 will also fund the continuation of the emergency resilience-building program in the savannah region," which is under threat from jihadists.

Esaïe Edoh 

The government of Togo will keep paying special attention to inflation in the coming months. The authorities said this last Friday, November 11, after the council of ministers held that day. 

The government promised to keep the inflation “under control”, in a context where it has been soaring past unseen levels in recent months. 

A controlled inflation

This indicator has never been as high in the previous years but, according to data from the National Institute for Statistics, Economic and Demographic Studies (INSEED), it was stable in July and August 2022, grew slightly (2 base points) to 7.1% the following month, and 7.2% in October.

In September 2022, the general price level rose by 0.4% compared to June 2022 (quarterly). The change was driven mainly by an increase in the costs of transportation (+8.4%), housing, and domestic energy (the functions "Housing, water, gas, electricity and other fuels", up +3.8%). It should be noted that the prices of "alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, and narcotics" grew as well, by +7.3%, over the period.

Initially scheduled to end this Saturday, November 12, Togo’s fifth general population and housing census (RGPH-5) has been extended to November 16. The government made the announcement last Friday.

Lomé decided to 'consolidate existing results, and to allow those who still hesitate to join the registration.' 

In recent days, many efforts were made, with the contribution of various actors (deputies, prefects, mayors, traditional chiefs, religious and community leaders, technical and financial partners) to get as many people as possible to register. For example, telephone lines were set up throughout the country to contact the census teams.

Avec Togo Officiel

Several businesswomen working in the coffee sector and from the Member States of the African and Madagascar Robusta Coffee Agency (ACRAM) gathered in Lome last Wednesday for a roundtable. They were attending a workshop to reinforce technical, commercial, and marketing links in the coffee value chains.

The workshop was supported by LADI AGRY and the International Trade Center. Its goal was to equip the participants with tools to draw sustainable business models and get financial and technical support for their activities According to the EU’s ambassador to Togo, Joaquin Tasso Vilallonga, women are, at the same time, producers, processors, and exporters of products. “Helping them get involved in all parts of the value chains has proven to be an effective and sustainable solution,” he added.

Besides, the 28 participants were introduced to some female coffee producers, cooperatives and SMEs that operate in the same sector, and financial institutions. Various partnerships were signed.

The meeting fell under the ACP Business Friendly program which was financed by the EU.

Esaïe Edoh

Kifema Capital, an investment firm and financial arm of Togo Invest, has partnered with STOA, a French investment fund (owned by Caisse des Dépôts and Agence Française de Développement) that operates in the energy and infrastructure sectors.

According to Kifema Capital, its Managing Director, Dr. Arthur Trimua, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to this end with STOA’s MD, Marie-Laure Mazaud.

"This new memorandum of understanding strengthens the link between the two institutions and establishes a common framework for identification, co-development, and co-investment in the field of clean energy and infrastructure," Togo Invest disclosed last Tuesday, Nov 9.

The same source added that the MoU aims to pool the two parties’ resources and competencies, to “efficiently support the growth of the Togolese economy, through strategic investments.”

Togo Invest, let’s recall, is a State holding that handles big investments. Established in 2014, it has facilitated several key projects, including Togo’s Transport Corridor (CDT in French), which goes from the Port of Lomé to the Border with Burkina Faso, a dry port project (in Adetikope), a special economic zone, and a multipurpose logistics platform.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi