Lomé has established the rules for distributing the Fonds d'Appui aux Collectivités Territoriales (FACT) for the 2025 financial year. This program aims to support the new regional councils and ensure local authorities receive proper funding.

Approved by the Council of Ministers on February 13, 2025, the funding plan includes a basic amount and additional funds to help balance resource distribution. These extra funds will be allocated based on population size, land area, and poverty levels. The total budget for FACT has not yet been finalized.

According to the 2025 Finance Act, FACT’s budget is expected to increase by 42%, reaching CFA10 billion, up from CFA7 billion in 2024.

Focus on Operations and Investments

The funds, according to Minister of Communication Yawa Kouigan, will help regional councils pay for operational costs like employee salaries and councilor allowances. They will also support the creation of decentralized administrations.

Additionally, the funds will be used for important investments in areas such as local economic development, urban planning, sports, sanitation, and regional infrastructure.

“These investments will match the main responsibilities given to regions under decentralization,” Kouigan explained. Local authorities are also expected to add their funds to this budget.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Togo plans to create Regional Administrative Conferences (CAR) and Prefectural Administrative Conferences (CAP). The related project was reviewed during the Council of Ministers held on February 13, 2025.

These new bodies aim to improve coordination between the central government and local authorities, particularly in the regions. According to the Council of Ministers, CARs and CAPs will help align development policies and ensure stricter monitoring of government programs and projects.

Togo is divided into five regions led by governors. These regions are further split into 39 prefectures managed by prefects, and 117 communes run by mayors.

Esaïe Edoh

Lomé will host the 10th Festival de l'Immobilier (FestImmo) from May 9 to 11. The Centre Togolais des Expositions et Foires (CETEF) Togo 2000 will host the major real estate fair.

Organizers announced the event at a press conference last week. FestImmo is a place where professionals, investors, and people looking to buy property can all meet. 

“Real estate is an essential lever for economic development, and we must innovate, adapt our practices, and support all those who aspire to access housing or invest,” said Romuald Akitani, Head of FestImmo.

The fair will feature expert consultations, an exhibition of the latest innovations in the sector, conferences, and B2B meetings, among others. 

The fair’s organizers expect 300 participating companies and 30,000 visitors.

The Togo-Vietnam partnership turned 50 on February 8, 2025. The two countries recently reflected on their friendship and explored new avenues to consolidate their ties. 

The source, the Togolese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, says the relationship is "fruitful", adding that both sides share a mutual understanding of key global issues and support each other in various multilateral organizations.

Over the past 50 years, the two countries have successfully developed various projects in agriculture, economy, trade, investment, culture, education, science and technology research, and projects to bolster relationships between their respective people.

In the coming years, Togo and Vietnam plan to strengthen their partnership through solidarity, political dialogue, and mediation, while promoting mutual respect and understanding. Last month, the two partners inked a new memorandum of understanding to bolster their cooperation in key sectors like agriculture, trade, investment, and telecommunications. Togolese Foreign Affairs Minister, Robert Dussey, signed the MoU while visiting the Asian nation.

This article was initially published in French by Esaïe Edoh

Edited in English by Ola Schad Akinocho

The Fourth International Crafts Market of Togo (MIATO) will run from April 23 to May 4, in Lomé. “Protecting handicrafts: issues and challenges” is the theme.

The fair will focus on raising craftsmen’s awareness of protecting their work and finding ways to achieve that goal. Burkina Faso is the guest of honor for the event.

Besides discussions, the event will feature exhibitions and cultural performances on the esplanade of the Palais des Congrès in Lomé.

The Togolese government views the MIATO as a platform that enables craftspeople to show their work, build partnerships, and boost the local economy. In 2023, the event drew over 800 exhibitors from Togo and other countries, including Belgium, Tunisia, Cameroon, Gabon, Chad, Burkina Faso, Benin, and Mali, which was the guest of honor. 

This article was initially published in French by Esaie Edoh

Edited in English by Ola Schad Akinocho

Togo’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI-T) is introducing the latest tax reforms to SMEs active in the country. The Chamber launched a series of meetings in this framework on February 10. They are hosted across the country, including the capital. 

At the end of the program, participating businesses should better understand tax issues, thus contributing to a more competitive business environment.

On Monday, Chamber of Commerce President José Kwassi Simenouh said the move will help avoid management errors. He noted that tax knowledge is crucial for the long-term success of growing SMEs. "It's essential that business leaders understand what taxes are. (...) What we expect is a preventive attitude to avoid making mistakes that could lead to tax reassessments,” said Simenouh.

Pidassa Awali, Managing Director of FISCCA-RH, a training firm, emphasized that the new law aims to equip the private sector by facilitating access to essential information. “The Finance Act is not simply a regulatory framework, it is designed to support and strengthen the capacities of the private sector”, he explained.

The initiative is particularly geared toward young companies, providing them with tools to navigate a complex tax framework. The workshops close on February 13.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Togo is participating in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Action Summit in Paris, France. Opened on February 10, 2025, the summit has gathered heads of state, researchers, companies, and civil society representatives.

Togo is represented by Cina Lawson, Minister for Digital Transformation. On February 11, Lawson spoke at a conference themed: "AI at the service of development: solutions for a sustainable and inclusive future." This conference was co-organized by Togo and the French Development Agency (AFD). It focused on how AI can effectively serve developing countries, and how these countries can address their social, economic, and environmental issues.

Last November, Cina Lawson initiated a series of meetings under the theme “Around AI”. These roundtables, aimed at drawing a national AI strategy, gathered many experts and entrepreneurs. At the time, the French Embassy in Togo had praised the initiative and Togo’s commitment to tech innovation.

The ongoing summit in Paris primarily aims to balance innovation and regulation relative to AI. The talks will focus on equitable access to technologies, AI’s environmental impact, and setting a suitable global governance.

This article was initially published in French by Esaïe Edoh

Edited in English by Ola Schad Akinocho

Togo will send six film productions to the Festival Panafricain du Cinéma et de la Télévision de Ouagadougou (FESPACO), set to run from February 22 to March 1, 2025. The figure, a record, reflects a dynamic and expanding local film industry.

The selected films span a variety of categories, showcasing the breadth of Togolese talent. These include entries in critical review, series, animation, perspective, and film school productions.

Adding to the excitement, young Togolese director Dogossa Birregah has been chosen to participate in the Yennenga Academy, a program designed to nurture emerging film talent from across the continent.

The Ministry of Culture sees this success as a clear indicator of the industry's upward trajectory and the increasing recognition of Togolese cinema on the international stage.

This surge in FESPACO selections comes as Togo's government strives to boost the cultural and creative sectors, as it wants to have them drive economic growth, employment, and Togo’s reputation.

Last December, Lomé launched a five-year strategy to boost the local film industry. This strategy focuses on training and promoting Togolese productions worldwide.

This article was initially published in French by Esaïe Edoh

Edited in English by Ola Schad Akinocho

Togolese entrepreneurs can apply to the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) startup funding program and get seed funding of $5,000. 

Last Friday, a TEF awareness session was held to inform entrepreneurs who may be interested. The Ministry of Grassroots Development and Youth Employment, and the National Agency for Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) backed the workshop. Participants learned about TEF's support mechanisms.

Every year, the TEF, founded in 2015 by Nigerian banking mogul Tony Elumelu, runs an incubation program that supports young African entrepreneurs, giving them funding, skills, and networking opportunities.

Young entrepreneurs with businesses that are less than five years old were informed about the program's stages: application, training, business plan review, and access to start-up capital. Since its launch, the TEF backed over 20,000 entrepreneurs from all 54 African countries. It has invested over $100 million in their projects. 

Interested entrepreneurs have until March 1 to apply to the TEF funding program.

This article was initially published in French by Ayi Renaud Dossavi 

Edited in English by Ola Schad Akinocho