The fourth stage of the Farmers Forum of Togo (FOPAT) ended last Saturday, Feb 25. The event lasted three days and was held in Sokodé, Central Region. On the occasion, farmers of the region reviewed with President Gnassingbe the 2020-2025 government roadmap and its actions to develop agriculture, in the Central region in particular.

In line with the roadmap, various measures were taken to make life easier for farmers, such as measures to improve their access to fertilizers, loans, and machinery. 

While the farmers lauded the efforts, they deplored the unequal access to the input. President Gnassingbe, however, reassured them, claiming the government was making sure to deal with the issue. 

There were a little more than 400 farmers who attended the forum. They came from all 61 districts of the Central region, to discuss the government’s vision for agricultural transformation. 

The first three stages of the FOPAT took place in the Savanes, Maritime, and Plateaux regions. 

Esaïe Edoh 

Togo’s treasury raised CFA14 billion on the WAEMU market last Friday, Feb 24. The amount is less than half of what the country was seeking–CFA35 billion.

The operation was a simultaneous issue of fungible bonds and bills. The fungible bills, which yielded CFA6.5 billion for the country, mature over 364 days while the bonds have two maturities, some maturing over 3 years and the others over 5. The first group (3 years) also produced CFA6.5 billion, and the second group (5 years) produced CFA1 billion. 

While the treasury retained CFA15 billion, the issue brought CFA16 billion from regional investors. 

Since the year began, Togo has secured CFA94 billion on the regional market, out of an annual target of CFA574 billion. The funds will serve to finance the country’s budget for 2023.

Esaïe Edoh

Nutrisource, a Singaporean firm, should open its first fertilizer factory in sub-Saharan Africa before the quarter ends. Located in Togo, the facility should produce up to 200,000 t of NPK fertilizer per year. 

The plant is being built at the Industrial Platform of Adetikope (PIA). According to one of the executives of Arise IPP, the company that manages the PIA, “construction is almost done and equipment is being installed”. He added that “production should begin in May or June 2023.”

The project is part of a larger investment–valued at CFA4.9 billion–that Nutrisource intends to make in the agro-food and agro-industry. Also, the new factory should contribute to the efforts of the Togolese government to boost the agricultural sector, notably by improving farmers’ access to cheaper but better fertilizers and consequently their yields and earnings. In Togo, agriculture is the top employing sector; it employs 65% of the active population and represents nearly 40% of the GDP. 

After Togo, Nutrisource has plans to open three more fertilizer plants in sub-Saharan Africa, one in each of its three sub-regions. "Each region will be supplied from a satellite blending plant, as well as an import and distribution operation," said Murari Rakshit, CEO of Nutrisource. The Singaporean company also launched distribution activities in Uganda and Kenya in 2020.

Fiacre E. Kakpo

The number of road accidents recorded in Togo slightly increased over the past year. From 7,392 in 2021, the figure stood at 7,507 in 2022 (+1.5%), according to a report presented by the ministry of safety and road protection, and the ministry of road, rails and air transport on 21 February 2023.

Last year, the sources added, 683 people died in road accidents, and 9,918 people were injured. This is compared to 680 killed and 9,376 injured in 2021.

With respect to crime, the two ministries reported 17 cases of robbery in 2022. The thieves stole more than CFA16 million, and some equipment. Also, 11 burglaries were reported to the security forces, with nearly CFA16.5 million worth of jewelry and other goods gone.

To reduce the number of road accidents, the government is doubling down on its efforts. Last Wednesday, the Council of Ministers issued a decree regulating the profession of truck drivers. This is after adopting, last December,  a draft bill aimed at providing the transport sector with a new legal framework to guarantee the safety and security of users.

A few years ago, the authorities introduced a ban on the night movement of public transport cars of more than 12 seats that travel between Togolese towns. The ban also applied to trucks equipped with trailers or semi-trailers to move goods. 

Esaïe Edoh

Since August 2021 when Togolese authorities made it possible for citizens to obtain their criminal record and certificate of citizenship online, almost 350,000 bulletins have been issued. This is against 50,000 before, thus corresponding to a 600% increase in less than two years.

The minister of justice and legislation Pius Agbetomey, disclosed this during the Council of Ministers on Wednesday, February 22, 2022. 

The reform, according to the official, received "strong support from citizens", driven by "the speed and remote nature of the process.

The government said it wanted to provide citizens access to more efficient and faster public services, thereby allowing them to focus on their daily activities without having to suffer the hassle of travel and queues. This ambition, they added, led to the digitalization of the concerned procedures. 

Togo wants to digitalize 75% of its administrative procedures by 2025.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

In Togo, wage gaps between employees of Togo Cellulaire and Togo Telecom should reduce soon. Togocom, the two firms’ parent company, signed a collective convention to this end with its unions on February 21, 2023. The signing marks the end of talks started in April 2021 by the concerned parties. 

Besides wages, the convention will enable the harmonization of bonuses, indemnities, and other social advantages. Concretely, the agreement sets the professional classification scale and the wage scale for Togocom’s workers. 

"The main takeaway of this agreement is that we significantly bridged the gaps between the two companies, Togo Cellulaire and Togo Telecom, especially in terms of remuneration, activity bonuses, and performance bonuses," said Tarik Boudiaf, acting CEO of Togocom.

"We have come a long way, and one thing is leading to another, the negotiations between the top management and the union organization have allowed us to reach a point where we had to stop and capitalize on what we have obtained and open up other areas of work. So, at this level, it is a win for both parties," said Bataka Bodjona, General Secretary of the Union of Digital Workers of Togo (STNT).

“We managed to reach a collective convention which takes into account the achievements and benefits that need improvement on both sides,” the same source added. 

Representatives of the ministry of public service, labor, and social dialogue, the directorate general of labor, and representatives of workers were also present at the signing.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Lomé will host the Africa Fintech Tour 2023 next week, on February 28. “Digital development and improving financial inclusion in Togo” is the theme of the event.

Several actors from the private and public sectors, including banks, insurers, digital currency issuers, and the ministries of economy and the digital economy will attend.

The forum will host panels, presentations of studies, coaching, and mentoring workshops. Various initiatives will also be launched on the occasion. 

The Africa Fintech Tour covers 20 French-speaking African countries. It gathers fintech companies from these countries, enabling them to share their experience, toward building synergies and fostering local dynamism. 

This year’s edition is the fourth and Lomé, according to the organizers, was picked because “Togo positions itself as the spearhead of financial inclusion in the sub-region. It is the only country in Francophone Africa to have a ministry that is dedicated to financial inclusion.” 

Esaïe Edoh

In Togo, the municipalities of Kloto (Kloto 1, 2, and 3) will seek about CFA20 billion over the next five years. The funds will help the municipalities have greater access to sustainable energy, as part of the Action Plan for Access to Sustainable Energy and Climate (PAAEDC) in the communes of Kloto. 

The PAAEDC is a five-year plan (2023-2028) that aims to help beneficiaries adapt to climate change and mitigate its impacts, as well as improve their access to energy. 

According to the Agence Togolaise de Presse, the launch agreement for the Plan was inked in Kpalime (northwestern Togo)  last Friday. It happened during a two-day meeting attended by the minister of environment, Foli Bazi-Katari. There were also several mayors in attendance, including those of Kloto 1, 2, and 3, as well as representatives of technical and financial partners, including AfDB, BOAD, the World Bank, EBID, the EU, and Expertise France (which implements the project). 

"The world is shaken today and there is talk of creating urban forests to lower the heat. The Kloto region is an agricultural region, the introduction of new varieties to create agroecology, plants that can withstand climate change and bring added value to the coffee and cocoa sector is an imperative," said the mayor of Kloto 1, Winnie Dogbatsè.

The PAAEDC comprises 36 initiatives, including battery-equipped PV systems, public transport development projects, and new bus stations. In terms of investments, the whole project should cost CFA19.86 billion. This breaks down into 15.05 billion for actions that will help populations adapt to climate change, 965 million for mitigation measures, and 3.845 billion for energy access initiatives.  

Ayi Renaud Dossavi