Armand Sato is the new boss of Vivendi Africa, Togo. Before that, he was the technical director at Canal+’s Indian Ocean division. 

At Vivendi Africa Togo, He replaced Alexandre Cohen (who moved to the headquarters of Canal+ International in Paris). He thus takes the head of Togo’s leading internet access provider (and fiber optics provider as well), with its Canalbox offer. 

This happens in a context where the group is expanding across Togo, especially in the TV content sector and by opening movie theaters. 

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

All those settled illegally along the Togolese shores have until March 3rd, 2021, to vacate the public domain. This is the latest warning of the government after the one issued last August. 

It came from the Ministers of Territorial Administration, Security, Maritime Economy and Urbanism, in a joint statement. At the set date, “legislative measures and regulations against violations will be strictly applied”, the officials said 

Let’s recall that in Togo, the maritime public domain includes the sea, lagoons, salt ponds, rivers, navigable rivers. No third party is eligible to hold a deed or own the space. In the actual case, illegal occupants must vacate the land which will host some projects, such as the program tackling coastal erosion and sea pollution. 

In this regard, some, notably taxi-drivers associations, have initiated talks with public authorities to remain on part of the area concerned. The drivers use the space as terminal.

It has been two years since Gozem started operations in Lomé. Recently, the uber-like company expanded its offer to Tsévié, a city located 35 km north of Lomé. 

Thus, since February 3rd, residents of Deve, Kpali, Kpatefi, Boloumodji and surrounding areas can book Gozem bike drivers, said a source close to the startup. 

Tsévié is the third Togolese town Gozem serves since its establishment in the country. Besides bikes, it also provides transportation of goods and people with tricycles and cars. Soon, delivery should follow. 

Séna Akoda

107 young male and female budding entrepreneurs received a training session on entrepreneurship culture and skills to start a business between February 1st-3rd, 2021 in Kara

The training was organized by the National Agency for Promoting and Guaranteeing to Finance for SMEs and SMIs (ANPGF), headed by Naka Gnassingbé de Souza (pictured below).

ANPGF was established by the government to “support and train small and medium enterprises but also micro enterprises operating in goods and services-producing sectors”. Its main goal is to make it easier for these businesses to get financing.

Séna Akoda

Last week, the Ministry of rural roads published an assessment of construction work on rural roads carried out under the Rural Roads Support Program (Programme d'appui aux pistes rurales - PAPR).

Out of the four regions covered by the project, only the savannah region shows optimal progress in the works. 

Savannah region

Indeed, works on the 53 km of roads in this region have reached an average progress rate of 16.6%. The roads in question are the Ayikpere-Mandiki-Koumongou (26.5 km) and the Mougou-Centre-Gbeti-Vapore-Tonton (26.5 km) axis. 

This is slightly higher than the initially expected rate (13.2%). The works, which were launched in June 2020, are expected to last 12 to 14 months. 

Kara region

In Kara, three road segments are being worked on. Overall, these roads span 52.2 km and construction works on them have reached 9.3%, thus 3.2% less than expected. These works also began in June 2020 and should be completed within the same period as those in the Savannah region. 

Plateaux region

In the Plateaux, the works carried out in the Haho and Ogou prefectures are 63% complete. Regarding the deadline, 98% of the 14months deadline has been used 

Maritime region 

Here, construction works cover 31 km of roads. They began in December 2019 and have reached an 80% completion rate. They should help open up communities located in Zio and should have been completed last December. 

Let’s recall that earlier last week, the minister of rural roads, Kanfitine Tchede Issa, issued a statement warning firms late on the works they could be sanctioned if they fail to catch up and gave them two months to do so. 

Klétus Situ (intern)

During the 2020-2021 agricultural campaign, farmers will receive 6,500 tons of certified seeds from seed producers. This was the key outcome from the meeting held this week in Kara between the network of seed producers of Togo and heads of food-producing sectors.

Commenting with regards to the way the seeds will be distributed, president of the seed producers networt, Balintiya Konsana revealed that "talks are ongoing with the Agricultural Fertilizers Management and Supply Centre (CAGIA) to stock our seeds in stores where fertilizers are sold".

Moreover, seed producers said they took measures to facilitate the identification of seed varieties. Starting this year, the seeds sold to farmers will be labeled.

During the meeting, it was also revealed that the TGX1914F and the IR841 seed varieties were respectively picked for the soybean and rice sectors. Maize growers for their part will have the choice between short-cycle and long-cycle varieties depending on the desired yield.

Klétus Situ (intern)

After five years of negotiation, Togolese pharmacists finally inked their collective convention that will considerably improve their working and living standards. 

This was announced by Ekoué Ekoué-Bla, general secretary of the Union of Private and Wholesale Pharmacists of Togo. 

Among others, the convention also witness the increase in wages of workers in the pharmaceutical sector, a recalculation of working hours and payment of overtime. 

Both the workers in the industry and the National Order of Pharmacists of Togo rejoice over the news. Dr. Innocent Kpeto, a member of the order, said the convention is “a huge step toward the modernization of the pharmacy sector in Togo”. 

The collective convention should also improve relationships between workers and their employers, even if there is already very little friction between these two groups. 

Séna Akoda

To date, the portfolio of African Lease Togo (ALT) is valued at about 10 billion CFA. This was revealed to Togo First by the firm’s managing director, Toussaint Sossou.

Active in Togo since 2019, subsequent to the adoption of the law on leasing, the company significantly supported businesses over a short period. At the time it started activities in the country, Sossou had declared: “Through leasing, African Lease Togo will obtain professional material and equipment for very small enterprises, small and medium enterprises, and small and medium, industries, giving them the option to buy or lease over long periods of time.” 

ALT, whose operations are approved by the ministry of finance and economy, covers agriculture, agribusiness and construction. 

In tandem with the Incentive Mechanism for Agricultural Financing based on risk-sharing (MIFA), African Lease Togo arranged the purchase of tractors for farmers. The related investment was 1.5 billion CFA.

Also at the end of Q2 2020, 15 new MAN trucks and 15 SCHMITZ CARGOBULL trailers were provided to Brasserie du Bénin (BB Lomé), for nearly one billion CFA. 

It should be noted that ALT increased its capital from CFA3.1 billion to 3.5 billion in order to expand its leasing-factoring activity. 

Séna Akoda