Togo First
Togo budgets 70 billion CFA francs for 2026 energy push
Togo plans to mobilize 70 billion CFA francs in 2026 to implement its energy policy, with universal electricity coverage targeted by 2030. The funding is included in the 2026 budget for the energy and mines ministry.
The allocation represents approximately 99% of the ministry's annual budget, set at 71 billion CFA francs. It will support several ongoing infrastructure projects, including the electrification of 317 localities and the expansion of the Tinga Fund, a mechanism designed to help vulnerable households access electricity.
Part of the resources will also go toward expanding the Blitta solar photovoltaic plant. The government also plans to pursue institutional reform and strengthen governance at the state-owned Compagnie Énergie Électrique du Togo (CEET).
In 2026, the country is also expected to begin implementing its "National Energy Pact" under the Mission 300 initiative. The program includes construction of 161 kV transmission lines to strengthen electricity supply and extend access to 1.5 million people.
According to authorities, initiatives launched in recent years have enabled Togo to achieve an electrification rate of 75% by the end of 2025.
Esaïe Edoh
Togo: Warmer Gulf waters drive unseasonal rain, heat to persist through end-February
The end of last year and the start of the new one were marked by a climate anomaly in Togo. Sea surface temperatures in the Gulf of Guinea rose by 0.65 degrees Celsius in December 2025 compared with the 1993–2023 average. The increase, recorded during the harmattan season, disrupted wind and rainfall patterns in the southern part of the country.
The data were presented at a conference organised by the Ministry of Environment and the University of Lomé, which brought together climatologists and government technical agencies.
“Higher sea surface temperatures increase evaporation and raise atmospheric moisture levels. This weakens the harmattan and helps explain the unusual rainfall recorded in December and January,” said Latifou Issaou, director general of ANAMET, Togo’s national meteorological agency.
Strong Winds and Unseasonal Rain
Although experts prefer the term “climate variability” to “anomaly,” between December 2025 and January 2026, 114 people were affected and 101 homes were damaged by strong winds, compared with no reported casualties during the same period a year earlier. Over the same timeframe, losses from vegetation fires declined, falling from 148 tonnes of destroyed crops to 17 tonnes.
Researchers said the persistence of moist maritime airflows, instead of the typically dry harmattan winds, contributed to the unusual rainfall. These developments come against a broader warming trend, with sea levels rising at an estimated 1.8 mm per year between 1950 and 1973, followed by a faster rate of increase after 1993.
Heat to Persist Through End-February
In the short term, ANAMET forecasts maximum temperatures of between 33 and 40 degrees Celsius through the end of February, with dry haze expected across most of the country. Only the Maritime and Plateaux regions could see scattered, localised rainfall.
The sequence follows a year marked by below-average rainfall in 2025, when the national average stood at 987.8 mm, compared with 1,162.8 mm in 2024 and a five-year average of 1,198.3 mm.
In response, experts are calling for stronger early warning systems and adjustments to the agricultural calendar to better reflect seasonal shifts. Although Togo accounted for just 0.07% of global greenhouse gas emissions in 2018, it remains highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
Togo health districts review 2025 performance, adjust 2026 priorities
February 9, in Lomé. The four-day exercise is assessing vaccination coverage, maternal and child health, and access to care.
“We will conduct a thorough review of activities carried out in health facilities under the priorities of the National Health Development Plan (PNDS), identify the main challenges and plan for the coming year,” said Midokpo Messan Wogbemassé, the district’s prefectural health director.
Health officials said several indicators improved over the past year. Coverage of the fourth prenatal consultation rose to 45% in 2025 from 39% in 2024. The share of facilities providing integrated care for non-communicable diseases increased to 100% from 9% over the same period.
Investment also focused on infrastructure, including construction and rehabilitation works at several community health centres, notably in Ségbé and Kodjoviakopé. Discussions are also addressing persistent challenges, particularly neonatal mortality and antibiotic resistance, amid concerns over the misuse of antibiotics.
Similar reviews have been held or are underway in other districts, including Bas-Mono and Avé. In Kévé, the exercise is combined with preparation of the 2026 Operational Action Plan. Authorities reported improvements in delivery care and the gradual rollout of new equipment, including a radiology service in Assahoun.
The reviews are part of the National Health Development Plan and aim to improve efficiency, expand equitable access and strengthen service quality nationwide.
R.E.D
Mono Basin Authority reviews 2025 performance in Lomé
The Technical Committee of Experts of the Mono Basin Authority (ABM) has been meeting in Lomé since Feb. 10 for its eighth regular session, a three-day gathering focused on reviewing the institution’s 2025 performance.
The Authority said it strengthened its capacity last year by recruiting key staff, upgrading management tools and improving its financial position. Funding reached more than 817 million CFA francs in 2025, up from 306 million CFA francs in 2024, reflecting stronger budget management, according to the committee.
Support from development partners also increased. The African Development Bank approved 1 million euros to finance the preparation of the Master Plan for Water Development and Management (SDAGE). The European Union is backing the development phase of the €15 million “Mono Water and Food Resilience” programme.
The committee also highlighted progress in implementing the Regional Initiative for Water and Environment in the Mono Basin (IREE-Mono), including the launch of the Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis. ABM said it also raised its regional and international profile through greater participation in African and global basin networks.
Executive Director Dadja Gnakpaou said the results demonstrate renewed confidence from member states and development partners. The Authority now plans to step up implementation of structural projects, strengthen governance and enhance its operational capacity.
Esaïe Edoh
Togo’s Lodonou Elected President of WAEMU Court of Justice
Togolese magistrate Kuami Gameli Lodonou will take over as president of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) Court of Justice after being elected by his peers on Feb. 3, 2026. He will be sworn in on Feb. 11 in Ouagadougou for a three-year term.
He succeeds Senegalese magistrate Mahawa Semou Diouf, who completed her three-year term at the helm of the community court.
Kuami Gameli Lodonou (Left) and WAEMU President Abdoulaye Diop (right), February 6, 2026
Born in 1958, Lodonou has served as a judge at the Court since February 2021 under an additional act adopted by the Conference of Heads of State and Government. He previously served as advocate general. Before joining the Court, he was executive secretary of Togo’s OHADA National Commission.
He graduated from the National School for the Judiciary in Paris and holds a master’s degree in business law from the University of Lomé. He has also held senior positions within the Togolese judiciary, including at the Supreme Court.
Established under the Union’s revised Treaty, the WAEMU Court of Justice ensures the uniform application and interpretation of community law across the bloc’s eight member states. It settles disputes between member states and between the Union and its staff.
As president, Lodonou will oversee the Court’s work in enforcing compliance with WAEMU law, particularly in cases involving member states’ failure to meet their obligations. He takes office at a time when regional economic integration faces political and economic headwinds, placing renewed emphasis on the role of the Union’s legal framework.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
Togo signs 5-year IAEA Agreement to expand peaceful use of nuclear technologies
Togo signed, Monday, a five-year cooperation agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to expand the peaceful use of nuclear technologies, including in health, agriculture and energy.
The Country Programme Framework (CPF), signed in Vienna by Foreign Minister Robert Dussey and IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi, will run from 2026 to 2031.
Under the framework, the IAEA will support Togo in applying nuclear technologies to priority areas such as cancer treatment, food security and energy, while strengthening national oversight of research, training and technology deployment.
As part of its preparations, Togo established an Atomic Energy Commission (CEAT) in January 2025 and was elected to the IAEA Board of Governors in September 2025.
The partnership also seeks to address structural gaps, including the legal and regulatory framework, nuclear safety and radiation protection, as well as funding constraints. The IAEA will provide technical and institutional support throughout the implementation of Togo’s nuclear policy.
Esaïe Edoh
ARCOP opens review of Togo's 2025 public contracts
Togo’s Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (ARCOP) launched its annual review of public contracts awarded in 2025 on Monday in Lomé. The exercise, scheduled to run through Thursday, aims to assess the performance of the public procurement system and strengthen its effectiveness in supporting the economy.
The review begins by assessing the implementation rate of procurement plans. It also analyzes the economic and social impact of public procurement, particularly access to contracts for young people, women and local companies. The discussions aim to share best practices and formulate operational recommendations to improve the system’s performance and transparency.
For ARCOP, the review is part of a broader accountability and continuous improvement effort. “It allows us to objectively evaluate the results achieved, identify shortcomings and propose concrete solutions,” said Charif Afoh Tchaouta, director of statistics, documentation and monitoring and evaluation, speaking on behalf of the director general.
The annual review comes at a time of regulatory change. New standard procurement documents were introduced last year, including those for competitive dialogue and calls for proposals.
Togo crop exports fall sharply in Q3 2025, livestock sector shows recovery
Togo exported 5.83 billion CFA francs worth of crop products, including agricultural and forestry goods, in the third quarter of 2025, down from 18.89 billion CFA francs in the previous quarter, according to official data from INSEED.
The decline follows two quarters of strong performance and reflects a cyclical correction, possibly linked to seasonal factors, export supply and demand conditions in some regional markets. Year on year, the value of crop exports remained below the level recorded in the third quarter of 2024, when it stood at 6.67 billion CFA francs.
Livestock products
Conversely, livestock and animal products recorded significant growth. Their export value reached 5.02 billion CFA francs in the third quarter of 2025, compared with 3.12 billion CFA francs in the previous quarter.
Animal sector exports show a gradual improvement compared with the same period in 2024, when they totaled 4.20 billion CFA francs.
In Togo, the agricultural sector is a pillar of the economy, contributing approximately 40% of GDP and employing nearly 70% of the workforce, with a significant share of agricultural output, particularly food crops, destined for domestic consumption.
Domestic production remains insufficient to meet demand. In the same quarter, the value of crop imports stood at 29.65 billion CFA francs, nearly six times the value of exports, highlighting a structural deficit in crop trade despite the weight of certain export crops. Similarly, imports of animal products totaled 17.39 billion CFA francs, more than three times the level of animal exports.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
BB Lomé Brewery plans expansion of Kara production facility
BB Lomé Brewery plans to expand its production facility in Kara, a project presented earlier last week to a delegation of ministers including Environment Minister Dodzi Kokoroko, Energy Minister Robert Eklo and Water and Sanitation Minister Séna Alipui.
The company has not disclosed financing details or a timeline. It said the expansion fits with the government’s strategy to develop Kara as an industrial hub and turn northern Togo into a new centre of economic activity.
The project is expected to reorganise the brewer’s production and regional footprint. It includes the installation of a new production line aimed at tripling output at the site while reducing energy consumption by about 20%.
The expansion also предусматриes the creation of a logistics hub to improve distribution and product availability nationwide, as well as the development of a structured network of local distributors, which the company says should support job creation at the local level.
BB Lomé Brewery said the investment reflects a long-term commitment to the Kara region and its intention to support the government’s development plans through public-private cooperation. The Kara plant has been operating since 1982. The company also runs its largest production facility in Lomé and says it employs more than 1,000 people directly and around 25,000 indirectly.
Esaïe Edoh
Lomé Hosts Regional Workshop on Climate-Sensitive Tax Policies
Togo's capital, Lomé, began hosting a regional workshop on climate-sensitive tax policies on Monday, Feb. 9, 2026, bringing together public finance and environment officials from across Africa.
The five-day meeting, organized by the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) in partnership with the West African Tax Administration Forum (WATAF), serves as a forum for discussions on tools to mobilize domestic resources for environmental and climate-related priorities.
Officials from eight countries, Togo, Gambia, Rwanda, Djibouti, Uganda, Mauritania, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic, aim to deepen their understanding of climate-sensitive tax policies. The workshop focuses on sharing best practices in the design, implementation and monitoring of such policies, while strengthening participants’ capacity to use practical tools for their development and management.
Participants are examining green taxation instruments, reviewing African and international experiences, and identifying country-specific reform options tailored to their national contexts.
The initiative is part of the CADAST project, led by ACBF in collaboration with the African Development Bank (AfDB), which seeks to support African governments in implementing macroeconomic policies that factor climate considerations into fiscal and budgetary frameworks.
According to Peguewinde Rodolphe Bance, head of ACBF’s Economic and Social Governance Unit, the Lomé workshop builds on the findings of an analytical study conducted by the institution on tax policy challenges in Africa. The study points to limited technical capacity to design effective green tax instruments, weaknesses in tax administration and compliance, gaps in data and analytical tools, and the need for stronger coordination between fiscal, climate and budget policies.
For Mawussé Adetou Afidenyigba, chief of staff at Togo’s Ministry of Economy and Finance, the timing of the workshop is critical as countries confront the growing economic and budgetary impact of climate change.
“Climate change is no longer a distant threat; it is now a major economic and budgetary reality for our countries,” she said.
In response, Togo has launched several initiatives, including reforms aimed at strengthening domestic resource mobilization, improving the efficiency and fairness of the tax system, and aligning public policies with sustainable development and climate resilience goals, she added.
Esaïe Edoh