Near last week’s ending, the Malagasy group Axian, through its foundation and its subsidiary Togocom, signed a partnership convention with the NGOs Federation of Togo (FONGTO). The partnership aligns with the implementation of two recently launched programs: Nunya Togocom and Lanmésén TMoney. 

In effect, FONGTO which has been acting as a bridge between NGOs and development for over 40 years, will “search for sites that are most fit to benefit from the two aforementioned programs.” The Federation will also “ensure the mobilization of local communities and monitor related works on the field.”  

Nunya Togocom and Lanmésén TMoney are social programs aimed at bolstering education and health in Togo. According to Axian, under the first, classrooms will be built in areas where they are lacking, while the second program will focus on sensitizing youths on preventive healthcare, through sports. 

Daniel Agbénonwossi (intern)

Announced in 2018 by the government, the project involving the hybridization of multipurpose platforms’ diesel engines with a solar system (PHMD-PTFM) is at last entering an operational phase. This phase will begin with feasibility studies.  

The National Agency for Support to Grassroots Development (ANADEB) which is in charge of the project, is recruiting a consulting firm to conduct the studies. 

Total cost of the energy transition project is CFA9.6 billion. It is financed by the Global Environment Facility or GEF (CFA1.3 billion), the West African Development Bank (CFA6 billion), and the Togolese State (CFA472 million in cash, and 1.912 billion in kind which will be contributed to by the targeted communities).  

Set to be implemented over three years, the PHMD-PTFM targets 50 communities that already have multipurpose platforms. In the long run, it should directly benefit 62,500 people, including 500 women forming agricultural cooperatives. 

Klétus Situ

Last Thursday in Anié, 188km north of Lomé, a new livestock market was inaugurated.

Financed by the European Union (EU) and the French Development Agency (AFD), the new market cost over CFA62 million. It can host more than 2,000 cattle and has an autonomous water supply system.

The infrastructure should enable Togo to “better structure its livestock industry while allowing thousands of herdsmen households to find better outlets and sell at good prices,” said Joaquin Tasso Vilallonga, EU’s ambassador to Togo. 

This, it should be noted, is the fourth market of its kind to be inaugurated in Togo. The other three are located in Adétikopé (in the South), Cinkassé and Koundjouaré (in the North).

Daniel Agbenonwossi (intern)

Togo should record a 3.5% economic growth this year. The figure was recently published in an IMF report on the latest economic outlook in sub-Saharan Africa. 

While the forecast is more optimistic than the World Bank’s, knowingly 3%, they are more modest than the African Development Bank’s (AfDB) who forecast economic growth in Togo at 4.3% in 2021. 

The Pan-African's expectation is the closest to the Togolese government. The latter indeed, in its latest forecasts, expects the growth rate to stand at 4.8%. 

The government attributes its optimism to the anti-Covid-19 measures it has been introducing to mitigate the pandemic’s effects and other efforts to Fastrack economic recovery. 

It should be highlighted that last year, the Togolese economy was more resilient than expected, with a growth rate of 1.8%, up 1.1 percentage point compared to what the authorities had projected. 

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

On April 26, Togocel, a subsidiary of TogoCom Group, will be in court to defend against an accusation from the Togolese telecom regulator ARCEP, which claims it has violated its on/off-net tariff differentiation rule. 

According to a source contacted by Togo First, Togocel affirms that it was accused of unfair competition, and not for violating ARCEP’s on/off-net tariff differentiation rule. The telecom operator adds, unfair competition practices do not fall under the ARCEP’s prerogative but is settled by the law on competition. This difference, and notably the CFA1 billion fine imposed on TogoCom’s subsidiary by the ARCEP, is the main reason that took the operator and the regulator to court. 

While so far, Togocel did not comment on the matter, it may be recalled that on February 20, the company controlled by Axian had announced that its call tariffs applied to all networks. A few days later, on February 25, the ARCEP in turn said it had taken note of the ceasing unfair call rates by Togocel.    

Séna Akoda

Every year, businesses that are members of the European Trade Chamber in Togo (CCET), also known as Eurocham-Togo, generate a turnover of around CFA200 billion. The Chamber, which is chaired by the CEO of Bolloré Africa Logistics Togo, Charles Kokouvi Gafan, employs nearly 2,000 people.

Eurocham is a real interface connecting European investors active in Togo with Togolese authorities, but also Togolese companies that have a commercial, industrial, or economic relationship with one or more European countries. 

The CCET was established to defend the interests of European investors in Togo and consolidates business relationships between Togolese and European private firms. In this regard, a memorandum of understanding was signed between Eurochm and the Chamber of Trade and Industry of Togo (CCIT). 

Eurocham has 45 members at present. It was created on the sidelines of the first Togo-EU economic forum (FETUE) organized in June 2019.

Séna Akoda

Last Thursday, Togo’s Prime Minister, Victoire Tomegah-Dogbe, and the Netherlands’ Queen, Her Majesty Maxima Zorreguieta who also happens to the UN’s Secretary-General for inclusive finance, held a virtual meeting. 

During the webinar, the Togolese PM talked about Togo’s achievements in terms of financial inclusion. In detail, she presented actions and mechanisms initiated by Lomé in this regard. 

According to a source at the PM’s office, some of the main points highlighted by Tomegah-Dogbe during the meeting included cash transfers to advance inclusion in the country and the creation of the National Fund for Inclusive Finance (FNFI). The latter, it should be indicated, distributed over CFA98 billion to more than 1.7 people since it was established.

Emphasis was also put on recent innovations launched amidst the Covid-19 health crisis. Amongst others, the Novissi cash transfer scheme was mentioned. This is a mobile money-based initiative to help those who were most affected by measures taken by Togolese authorities to curb the crisis. 

As part of efforts to restart the economy post-Covid, a credit facility was launched for very small enterprises, medium enterprises, and revenue-generating activities. Its beneficiaries can receive up to CFA10 million to support their business, reported our source. 

Looking at data from the BCEAO, in 2019, Togo was the third-best performer relating to financial inclusion in the WAEMU. It came ahead of Burkina Faso and Senegal, and behind Ivory Coast and Benin.

Séna Akoda

Togo’s public power utility, CEET, is running a promotion campaign to improve access to electricity in rural areas. Under the campaign, people of the Plateaux and Maritime, Savanes, and Kara regions can get connected to the grid at a cost of CFA20,000 only.

It should be noted, however, that the promotion ends on May 25th in the first two regions and on July 14th for the other two.

The cost mentioned covers access to a prepaid Lafia 2 fils 5 A meter. 

In the Savanes region, prefectures covered by the promotion campaign are Cinkassé, Tône, Tandjouare, Kpendjal, Mango. In Kara, they are Dankpen, Binah, Bassar, Kozah, and Niamtougou.

This initiative aligns with the government’s efforts to achieve universal power coverage by 2030. 

Séna Akoda