Togo First
Togo Launches Training to Prevent Disputes in Agricultural Projects
Two agricultural development programmes in Togo backed by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) are moving into an implementation phase focused on improving local governance and ensuring effective project delivery.
The programmes, PRIMA and ProMIFA, are strengthening their grievance-handling systems ahead of this phase. Training sessions for grievance committee members are being held through Dec. 20 in several prefectures, including Kozah and Tchamba, to help prevent and resolve disputes linked to project delivery.
Implemented by Togo’s agriculture ministry, the two programmes involve a broad range of public authorities, community groups and private-sector actors, increasing the risk of social, land and operational tensions.
To address these risks, a joint grievance mechanism spanning cantonal and central levels has been set up in line with IFAD requirements.
An assessment carried out by a joint PRIMA and ProMIFA mission in late November 2024 reviewed how these bodies operate at all levels. The review identified gaps in skills, tools and reporting channels, which informed the design of the training modules now being rolled out.
ProMIFA entered its investment phase in June 2023, supported by $15.6 million in additional funding approved by IFAD in December 2022. The project aims to expand access to agricultural credit nationwide, targeting 50,000 households, or around 300,000 people, through a risk-sharing mechanism.
PRIMA, a regional project, focuses on integrating agricultural markets along cross-border corridors between Togo and Benin, with plans for broader regional expansion.
Nearly 450 actors from government agencies, local authorities and community organisations are involved. Authorities and development partners expect the strengthened grievance system to improve transparency, reduce disputes and create a more predictable investment environment in a sector critical to jobs and food security.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
Togo Begins Nationwide Cash Transfer Scheme for 700,000 Vulnerable Households
Togo on Thursday launched a nationwide cash transfer programme aimed at more than 700,000 vulnerable households, as authorities seek to cushion the impact of rising living costs.
The programme forms part of the government’s social protection strategy and targets households facing economic hardship, officials said.
The launch ceremony was held at the Kotokoli-Zongo sports complex in the Agoe-Nyive 4 district of Lomé and was attended by government officials, traditional leaders and members of the security forces.
The scheme has a budget of 3.5 billion CFA francs. It was inaugurated by Sandra Ablamba Johnson, Minister and Secretary-General of the Presidency, representing Council President Faure Gnassingbé.
Under the programme, eligible households will receive an unconditional cash payment of 25,000 CFA francs. Authorities said the funds are expected to help cover basic short-term needs while supporting local economic activity.
Payments will be made through secure digital channels, using mobile money services Mixx by Yas and Flooz, to ensure transparency and efficient delivery.
The programme has three components: direct cash transfers to vulnerable households; job creation initiatives targeting young people; and measures to strengthen household income, with a focus on women.
“This programme aims to improve living conditions for vulnerable households and help them better withstand economic shocks, while supporting employment and financial autonomy,” Johnson said.
Beneficiaries were identified using a Proxy Means Test methodology, a targeting approach widely used in social protection programmes, according to officials.
The identification process was carried out by the National Institute of Statistics and Economic and Demographic Studies (INSEED) and the National Agency for Support to Grassroots Development (ANADEB), based on monetary and non-monetary poverty indicators.
“This method ensures transparent and equitable targeting,” Johnson said.
ANADEB Director-General Katanga Mazalo said the system would allow authorities to objectively support households meeting vulnerability criteria, while integrating specific measures for youth employment and women’s empowerment.
The programme is supported by several development partners, including the World Bank, the United Nations system, the French Development Agency (AFD) and the African Development Bank. It builds on similar schemes implemented in recent years, including Novissi, which reached more than 142,000 people in 2024-2025.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
Togo Approves Policy to Extend Social Safety Net
Togo has approved a national social protection policy aimed at strengthening the fight against poverty and reducing vulnerability, according to a statement issued after a cabinet meeting held on Wednesday.
The policy seeks to provide a structured response to high household exposure to economic and social risks, particularly in rural areas. It is designed to support the most vulnerable groups, including those affected by illness, unemployment, old age or natural disasters, by ensuring a minimum level of income security and improved access to basic social services.
The government said the policy is expected to consolidate existing social protection mechanisms, improve coordination among public programmes and support inclusive and sustainable economic development.
As part of this effort, the framework aims to provide clearer guidance for public action in key sectors such as health, education, nutrition and child protection. It also seeks to extend coverage to groups traditionally excluded from formal social security systems, notably informal sector workers, women and young people.
Authorities noted that Togo has invested for several years in strengthening its social protection system, resulting in measurable progress in poverty reduction and vulnerability mitigation. However, persistent structural challenges prompted the adoption of a more coherent and comprehensive strategic framework.
The policy is set to become a central pillar of the country’s national strategy to reduce poverty and promote social cohesion.
Esaïe Edoh
Unified Data Seen as Key to Improving Performance at African Ports
African ports handle the bulk of the continent’s trade but continue to face a structural lack of harmonised, comparable data. This gap drives up logistics costs, deters investment and complicates regional integration.
To address these challenges, the African Development Bank (AfDB) has launched the African Ports Connectivity Project (APC-PP), a multilateral initiative aimed at harmonising port data standards. Manuel Ntumba, a Togolese national recently appointed project coordinator and regional data lead, described the programme as strategically important.
“For more than two decades, weak data governance has limited the ability of African ports to cut costs and support more competitive financing structures,” Ntumba said.
The project is financed by the Multilateral Cooperation Center for Development Finance (MCDF), hosted by the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), and is being implemented by the AfDB in partnership with S&P Global Market Intelligence and consulting firm CPCS.
Its goal is to develop an interoperable, auditable data framework covering more than 60 African ports. Ntumba said persistent data fragmentation, the absence of common benchmarks and limited auditability have long skewed assessments of port performance and increased the risk premiums applied to African assets.
The programme will deliver a continental Port Data Book, a secure digital platform and an Africa Port Index. The index will draw on methodologies developed by S&P Global, including those used in the Container Port Performance Index produced with the World Bank.
Ntumba said the challenge extends beyond technical considerations. The aim is to make port data comparable, well documented and actionable, enabling credible risk analysis and more rational investment decisions.
In the near term, the AfDB plans to release an initial auditable version of the Port Data Book, roll out a platform compliant with international cybersecurity standards and publish an index enabling objective comparisons of port performance. These tools are intended to reduce information gaps that currently complicate due diligence for lenders and institutional investors.
The expected impact extends beyond the port sector. On a continent where 80% to 90% of trade moves through ports, unified data could transform supply chains. A harmonised data framework would allow congestion to be anticipated, flows to be optimised and the competitiveness of regional corridors to be strengthened. Ntumba said logistics cost savings of 20% to 30% are possible on certain routes.
Beyond the numbers, the project seeks to mark a fundamental shift by positioning data as a strategic asset. Ntumba said harmonisation would reduce uncertainty, rebuild confidence and enhance the attractiveness of African infrastructure.
Fiacre Enagnon Kakpo
Sanlam Rebrands Togo Operations as SanlamAllianz
Sanlam, formerly known as Saham, has rebranded its operations in Togo as SanlamAllianz, completing the rollout of the group’s new identity in the country.
The rebranding follows the creation in September 2023 of a joint venture between South Africa’s Sanlam and Germany’s Allianz, two major players in insurance and non-banking financial services. The combination of their African operations resulted in a group active in more than 25 countries, serving nearly 30 million customers and employing hundreds of thousands of people.
Owned 60% by Sanlam and 40% by Allianz, the joint venture aims to strengthen the groups’ presence in high-growth African markets while pooling technical expertise, financial resources and governance standards.
In Togo, the transition was relatively simple. Unlike other markets where both brands operated in parallel, the country had a single entity, historically known as Saham, which later came under Sanlam’s control.
“It was not a merger of local subsidiaries but a name change to align the brand with the group’s identity across Africa,” said Bikiry Makanguilé, chairman of SanlamAllianz Togo. Management outlined the new brand identity at a press briefing in Lomé on Thursday.
Simon Pierre Gouem, managing director of SanlamAllianz Togo, said operations would continue without disruption. While the brand has changed, teams, contractual commitments and service quality remain unchanged, he said. The rebranding is expected to enhance financial capacity and provide greater access to the group’s operational standards and best practices.
SanlamAllianz says it holds a dominant position in the Togolese insurance market, accounting for around 36% of national activity, and that it has led the sector since 2017.
The company reported turnover of about 16 billion CFA francs and claims payments exceeding 7 billion CFA francs in 2024, figures that Gouem said reflect its financial strength and ability to meet obligations.
Abdellatif Mouad, regional director for West and Central Africa, said the rebranding should be seen in a broader context. He described SanlamAllianz as the leading provider of non-banking financial services on the continent, noting that its scale allows it to better support companies and individuals facing increasingly complex risks.
Growth prospects will depend largely on the expansion of the domestic market. In Togo, insurance penetration is estimated at around 1.7%, according to the Togo Insurers Committee, well below African and global averages.
Makanguilé said the success of the rebranding would depend on the company’s ability to expand its customer base, improve satisfaction levels and accelerate the adoption of digital tools. He added that management is targeting double-digit growth and plans to conduct regular customer satisfaction surveys.
Despite low penetration, the insurance sector in Togo has shown steady growth in recent years. Industry turnover reached 87 billion CFA francs in 2022, up from 60 billion CFA francs in 2019, according to data from 2023.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
Tourism Ministry Begins Digital Transformation Of Services
Togo’s Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Arts will become the country’s second government department, after the Ministry of Energy, to digitise its administrative processes. The initiative was launched on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, in Lome.
The launch was attended by Minister of the Digital Economy and Transformation Cina Lawson and Minister of Tourism, Culture and Arts Isaac Tchiakpe. Part of the Public Administration Digitisation Programme (PDAAP), the initiative includes the rollout of collaborative work tools and the adoption of open-source solutions for electronic document and correspondence management. It also covers the digitisation of procedures for issuing various administrative authorisations.
According to the Ministry of the Digital Economy, which is overseeing the project’s implementation, the process will take four weeks. Once completed, the digitisation is expected to improve staff productivity and shorten processing times, while also cutting operating costs and improving the quality of services delivered to the public.
Other ministries are expected to follow the Ministry of Tourism in rolling out similar initiatives, as the government seeks to progressively digitise services across all departments.
Esaïe Edoh
Haho 1 Municipality Adopts 2026 Budget, Up 1.8% Year On Year
The Haho 1 municipality has approved its 2026 budget, set at 431.8 million CFA francs, up about 1.8% from the 424 million CFA francs allocated in 2025.
The budget was approved during the fourth ordinary session of the municipal council held on December 12 in Notse and now requires validation by the Ministry of Territorial Administration.
With the projected resources, municipal authorities plan to roll out several projects for local communities. A total of 22 projects are planned, including the rehabilitation of a storage warehouse in Atchave, the upgrading of market sheds at Notse’s main market, and the construction of livestock markets and school buildings. Projects to establish civil registry services in villages are also included.
In 2026, the municipality also plans to focus on implementing its Master Plan for Development and Urban Planning (SDAU) and its Communal Development Plan (PDC), which includes projects aimed at improving sanitation and developing commercial infrastructure.
To mobilize resources, local authorities are counting on taxpayer contributions within the municipality, alongside support from the state and development partners. They also plan to use the existing municipal taxpayer database to improve local revenue collection.
Esaïe Edoh
Togo Kicks Off National Tour To Promote MSME Support Framework
Togo’s Agency for the Development of Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (ADTPME) launched a nationwide outreach tour on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, aimed at promoting its MSME support framework. The initiative began in Kara and will run through December 23, covering six other cities, including Dapaong, Sokode, Atakpame, Tsevie, Kpalime and Lome.
During the tour, the agency plans to gather feedback from micro, small and medium-sized enterprises to better identify their needs and develop recommendations tailored to local conditions. The goal is to improve the effectiveness of public policies supporting entrepreneurship at the local level.
The tour will also be used to present the MSME support framework developed by the agency, which seeks to shift business support toward services with higher economic and sustainable impact. The framework aims to help MSMEs access national and international markets in line with the Togo MSME Charter.
Participants will also receive information on the MSME support platform (SIPA) and the platform dedicated to joining the MSME Charter. These digital tools are designed to facilitate entrepreneurs’ access to support mechanisms put in place by the state and its partners.
A total of 302 MSMEs are expected to take part in the meetings nationwide, with at least 70 exhibitors in each of the seven cities on the tour.
Esaïe Edoh
Togo Begins Ratification Of UN High Seas Biodiversity Treaty
Togo is taking steps to strengthen its environmental commitments by launching the ratification process for the BBNJ Agreement, a legally binding United Nations treaty adopted on June 19, 2023, aimed at the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction.
At a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, the government approved a draft bill to ratify the agreement, which is linked to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
According to the Council of Ministers, the draft adopts a “prudent and cooperative approach” intended to reinforce international governance of maritime spaces. It will be submitted to Parliament for review and a vote before the remaining stages of the ratification process.
Ratification is expected to open up new funding opportunities for Togo, following its participation in the COP30 climate negotiations held in Belém, Brazil, a few weeks earlier. The process would enable the country to access international financing mechanisms, including the Global Environment Facility, to support marine conservation efforts and combat marine pollution.
Beyond environmental considerations, the agreement also supports the development of the blue economy, which plays an important role in West Africa’s coastal region. It предусматриes the creation of marine protected areas, equitable access to marine genetic resources, and mandatory environmental impact assessments for activities carried out on the high seas.
For Togo, the agreement represents an opportunity to position itself in line with international standards of maritime governance, with potential long-term benefits for fisheries, maritime transport, and international cooperation.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
Togo Appoints Mila Aziable As Head Of Public Procurement Oversight
The Togolese government has appointed Mila Aziable as Director of Public Procurement Control at the Ministry of Finance and Budget, it said after a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, December 17, 2025.
Aziable, a former minister for mines and energy and later minister for water, will now head a key body responsible for overseeing public procurement.
Operating under the Ministry of Finance and Budget, the directorate is responsible for procurement oversight policy, verifying the legality of public contracts, ensuring budgetary compliance, preventing irregularities, and supporting contracting authorities. It also coordinates control services and reports to the minister, with the aim of improving the efficiency of public spending and strengthening confidence in public finances.
The government also appointed members to the board of directors of the National Meteorological Agency (ANAMET), under the Ministry of Transport, the statement said.