Togo will try to raise another CFA30 billion on the WAEMU market. Lomé, to this end, just launched a simultaneous issue of fungible treasury bonds and bills. The operation closes on May 5th. 

In detail, the country seeks CFA20 billion through the bills and CFA10 billion through the bonds. The former has a nominal value of CFA1 million, a multiple interest rate, and two maturity periods of 182 days and 364 days, while the latter have a nominal value of CFA10,000, an interest rate of 6% and maturity over 3 years. 

Proceeds of the issue will finance the 2023 budget which stands at CFA1,958 billion. 

Esaïe Edoh

The African Development Bank (AfDB) is giving $5.13 million to build 20,000 cheap homes in Togo. Announced last week and validated on 26 April 2023, the facility will fund the feasibility studies for the project.

The West African Development Bank also disbursed almost a million dollars ($932,893.83) for the project, which should benefit around 100,000 people or 1.25% of Togo’s population, according to the AfDB.

Experts think the 20,000 homes project can boost social inclusion and accelerate progress in Togo. Making homes affordable, they believe, should improve access to education, healthcare, and jobs, and overall positively impact beneficiaries.

The 20,000 homes project aligns with the 2025 roadmap of Togo. In a context where the country, in 2019, recorded an additional house deficit of 15,000 homes, bringing the total deficit of decent homes to 500,000. In the same year, only 1,800 homes were built. The project also aligns with AfDB’s 2021-2026 country strategy for Togo.

Access to decent housing is indeed a challenge for most Togolese. And that is why the government is doubling down on efforts to change things. Lomé reports that in 2018, 93% of the economic activity was informal, and the minimum wage was $63. Meanwhile, cheapest homes built by developers cost on average $24,763, more than 28 times the average annual income per capita–$880 (CFA520,000).

To move the delayed 20,000 housing project forward (it should have been implemented under Togo's 2018-2022 national development plan), Lomé considered, in 2021, a draft decree authorizing the establishment of a land reserve. Subsequently, Togolese authorities announced the establishment of a land reserve in the cantons of Dalavé and Kpomé in the Zio prefecture on an estimated area of 1,177 hectares, around 30 km from Lomé.

Written by: Fiacre Kakpo

Translated from French by Schadrac Akinocho

In Togo, the Youth for Youth Association (Y&Y) launched a training program for young professionals last Wednesday, April 26, 2023. The program, titled Skills for Young Professionals, is backed by the private sector. 

The National Coalition for Youth Employment and the University of Lomé teamed up to launch the project. Its goal is to equip young professionals with less than five years of experience with the tools and know-how they need to develop their skills and succeed.

The first batch of trainees includes 200 people who work in the public sector –ministries, the tax office, city halls, etc., and the private sector –SANLAM, SGMT, ECOBANK, and Total Energie. International organizations such as the World Bank also sent some representatives. 

The program will include modules on Problem Solving, Strategic Communication, Feedback Culture, Teamwork, Project Management, Storytelling, Business Writing, and Professional Branding.

"It's about enabling them to adapt quickly to the demands of their jobs, accelerate their learning curve, and improve their performance," said Abdul-Fahd Fofana, founding president of the association, and a senior economist now at the OECD Development Centre.

Potential recruits for the private sector 

Commenting on the private sector’s involvement in the program, Fofana said the latter has “the potential to become a framework for exchanges, networking, sharing of experiences and good practices." 

Regarding the sharing of experience, it will enable the trainees to contribute more to the country’s development.

Representatives from the Ministry of Youth, GIZ, the World Bank, the UNDP, and eminent figures such as Patrice Anato, a former deputy, and Togolese entrepreneurs Ayité Ajavon (Africube) and Yao Azoumah (KYA Enervy Group) took part in the virtual launch of the program. 

"As an entrepreneur, I need young people who have a real skill applicable to the business right away, we need a strong offer and this program is welcome ", said the promoter of AHOUENOU Sarl, a culinary broth business. 

"We support this project and will be happy to receive regularly at our place young people of this cohort", added Mansour Touré Tia, MD, Kekely Efficient Power, another private actor who showed his support. 

The first training sessions are scheduled for mid-May. 

Octave Bruce

The National Council of Togolese Employers (CNP-Togo) and  G&A Africa Consulting, an Ivorian law firm specializing in business engineering, inked on April 25 a partnership agreement to train and build capacities of economic operators in Togo.

Under the deal, G&A Africa will support Togolese companies in management and leadership to "stimulate business growth, create decent jobs, and promote innovation and the adoption of new technologies."

According to Gilles Atayi, the firm's associate director, this support is now essential to meet the competitive challenges faced by companies worldwide.

For his part, Coami Tamegnon, President of CNP-Togo, said the deal aligns with the Council’s commitment to empower Togolese companies and make them more performant and responsible. 

G&A Africa Consulting provides African companies and professionals with authentic solutions and pragmatic tools that bolster their performance. The law firm operates in French and English-speaking African countries.

The cooperative of cotton farmers of Ogou and Anié, two prefectures of Togo, produced 3,887 t of the crop in the 2022-2023 campaign. This is about 7% of the total quantity marketed across the country over the period–52,000 t. 

The cooperative disclosed the figures last week referring to its campaign report for the sector. The document further indicates that the farmers of the two prefectures grew the crop over 5,683 ha of land, and recorded an average yield of 778 kg/ha. 

These results were yielded by 3,746 farmers, including 454 women, and spread over 293 groups of farmers. For the next campaign, the cooperative plans to cultivate 6,000 hectares, and produce 4,800 tons, thus corresponding to a yield of 1,000 kg/ha.

In recent years, Togo’s cotton sector has been facing several challenges, including unfavorable rainfall, and competition from soybean, which farmers believe to be more profitable.

Togo will deploy a new project to strengthen national and regional capacities in facing climate risks. Called "Project to strengthen national and regional capacities for effective climate risk management in Togo," the initiative is funded by the Green Climate Fund (nearly $2.5 million). It will be implemented over 36 months, with the FAO’s support.

The project was officially launched on April 25, during a ceremony chaired by the minister of environment, Foli-Bazi Katari. The minister of maritime economy, Edem Kokou Tengue, was also present.

The project has four components: strengthening the institutional architecture and governance for climate risk management at the national and regional levels, improving the data and knowledge base on climate change vulnerabilities, promoting private sector engagement and investment in adaptation, and developing the monitoring, reporting and financing management system for climate change adaptation.

While launching the project, Minister Foli-Bazi thanked the Green Climate Fund and the FAO for helping Togo make its ecosystems and people more resilient to climate change and its adverse impact.

"In view of the commitment of the Togolese government and the importance it has placed on sustainable environmental management, FAO will spare no effort to contribute to the achievement of the expected results," said for his part, Dr. Djiwa Oyétoundé, program officer at FAO.

The country should also continue to benefit from the FAO’s support, on other projects with the GEF-8 (Global Environment Facility), specifically in the area of sustainable forest management.

Ghanaian George Agyekum Nana Donkor has been reappointed as the President of the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) for a second five-year term. This decision was taken at the 21st Ordinary Session of the Board of Governors held on 5 April 2023.

He was elected to head this banking institution for the first time in January 2020. He was Vice President in charge of finance, administration, and institutional services for seven years and will begin his new term on February 1, 2024.

According to a statement by the sub-regional banking institution, the reelection of the Ghanaian is attributed to the Bank's progress since he took office. The Board notes the reduction of the Bank's non-performing loans (NPL) ratio from more than 8% to 4.28% and the recovery of USD77.5 million in capital arrears. The balance sheet also grew by 36.8% in 2022.

For the next 5 years, George Donkor "is committed to continuing to work with the Ministers and the Board to move the Bank forward, with the objective of making it the premier financial institution in the region, while supporting member states to ensure socio-economic development," the statement said.

Esaïe Edoh

Speaking yesterday on New World TV, a satellite-broadcast Togolese channel, Togo’s President, Faure Gnassingbé called on local farmers to boost their output, thus contributing to the country’s food sufficiency, and helping lower the cost of living. The interview was held on the sidelines of the celebration of the 63rd anniversary of Togo’s independence.

"A good part of the phenomenon (high cost of living ed.) finds its solution on Togolese soil", Gnassingbé said on air. That is why he urged farmers to "produce more to be less dependent on the outside for food products.

Last January, the leader made a similar call in Tsévié, during the second phase of the Forum of Agricultural Farmers of Togo (FoPAT). "We must feed ourselves, live off our agricultural activities, provide for ourselves and our families to better invest in the economic development of the country," he declared at the time.

According to the President, conditions have been set to prevent farming from being seen as a hard job. To this end, several agricultural projects have been developed; and mechanisms to facilitate access to agricultural financing have been introduced as well.

To counter the high cost of living, Faure Gnassingbé also reassured of the continuation of social measures taken by the government to mitigate its impact on the lives of people.

A long fight against terrorism

On the security issue, President Faure Gnassingbé, who has been condemning the terrorist attacks recorded in the north of Togo for nearly two years, reaffirmed his willingness to double the efforts to end the phenomenon.

"The Togolese people must expect a long fight with some drama because it is inevitable when there is war. But I can reassure my compatriots that at the end, there will be victory. We are determined to reduce these armed bands," the leader said.

Gnassingbé considers the terrorist attacks as a form of war "because Togo has always been peaceful".

Esaïe Edoh

The Dogta-Lafiè Hospital has registered 700 patients since it partially opened on March 1, 2023. This figure was communicated by the director of the National Social Security Fund (CNSS), Ingrid Awadé, during the hospital’s official inauguration by President Faure Gnassingbé. The inauguration ceremony took place on 26 April 2023 in Lomé.

Leveraging its modern facilities, which meet international standards, Dogta-Lafiè, ex-Saint Peregrine, according to the Togolese authorities, will offer quality care to the locals and people from neighboring countries.

Specialized in the fields of Medicine, Surgery, and Obstetrics (MCO), this hospital, according to the Togolese Minister of Health, Moustafa Mijiyawa, will strengthen the social protection of the population and bring a modern concept of hospitalization in the country which is committed to universal access to health care by 2030.

"This new socio-health infrastructure strengthens the provision of care, a pillar of universal health coverage in our country. It illustrates the efforts made by the Head of State in the establishment of the three pillars of the health system namely the construction, rehabilitation, and equipment of health centers" said Moustafa Mijiyawa.

"The modernization of health infrastructure and the improvement of the quality of care that our compatriots receive remains a priority to which all public and private initiatives in this area must contribute," Faure Gnassingbé said for his part.

Built on 11,000 m², the new hospital has eight blocks connected by a central distribution building. It has 22 consultation rooms, 160 beds, and places including suites, high-standard rooms, single rooms, and double rooms.

It also has a medical imaging and dental block, a medical block, an administrative block, a surgical block, a mother-child block, a VIP block with a coffee area for accompanying persons, a laboratory block, and a logistics block.  

Located at the northern entrance of Lomé, Dogta-Lafiè is the first hospital of its kind in Togo. In its first year of activity, it is expected to register at least 80,000 patients.

Esaïe Edoh

Togo celebrates its 63rd independence anniversary today, April 27, 2023. The event is marked by several festivities. One of them is the traditional rekindling of the flame of independence, which took place a day before, in the presence of some foreign political and civil personalities, members of the government, the National Assembly, and senior officers of the Togolese armed forces (FAT).

The most important event marking the anniversary is the great military, paramilitary and civilian parade in Lomé, the capital, under the authority of the President of the Republic, Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé. It gathered over 4,500 men and women of the defense and security forces. The parade was followed by cultural, sporting, and recreational events.

Outside of Lomé, parades were also held in the main towns of the country’s five regions. Ahead of the anniversary, President Gnassingbé took part in several notable events such as the recent inauguration of Kara’s new central market (412 km north of Lomé) and Lomé’s Dogta Lafiè hospital. The leader also laid the foundation stone for a new campus at the University of Kara in the north–the second biggest public university in Togo, after the University of Lomé.