Togo First
Togo adopts law implementing WAEMU anti-counterfeiting rules
Togo's National Assembly on Tuesday adopted a bill aimed at combating counterfeiting and other offences involving currency in member states of the West African Monetary Union (WAMU), during a plenary session in Lomé.
Lawmakers approved the text at first reading during the fourth plenary sitting of the first extraordinary session of the year. The session was chaired by National Assembly President Komi Sélom Klassou and attended by Finance and Budget Minister Essowè Georges Barcola.
The measure implements a uniform law adopted by the WAEMU Council of Ministers to strengthen protection of the common currency against counterfeiting and falsification.
The bill defines offences and penalties related to currency counterfeiting. It covers the manufacture of banknotes outside authorised conditions, the full or partial reproduction of currency without authorisation, the possession or circulation of counterfeit banknotes, and the defacement of legal tender.
The law also specifies the powers of the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO), the regional issuing bank, notably in centralising seized currency and coordinating the fight against counterfeiting.
According to authorities, the reform aims to strengthen the legal framework protecting the Union’s monetary system and maintain confidence in financial transactions.
During the same session, lawmakers also adopted a bill regulating microfinance in Togo.
“The adoption of these laws demonstrates cooperation between the government and the National Assembly in building a modern and transparent financial and monetary framework for the benefit of the financial community and the population,” Finance Minister Essowè Georges Barcola said.
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University of Lomé students tackle business challenges through digital innovation
Around 300 students at the University of Lomé (UL) in Togo began work on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, to develop digital solutions addressing challenges faced by local businesses. The initiative is part of the fourth edition of Crunch Time for Technological Innovation, organized by the École Polytechnique de Lomé (EPL) and running until March 14.
Working in multidisciplinary teams made up of students from different schools and faculties across the university, participants are analyzing real business problems proposed by partner companies. Within a short timeframe, they must design and present practical and innovative solutions.
The projects focus mainly on the digitalization of services and improvements to everyday practices. Among the challenges identified are the digitalization of the student bus ticket system and the development of tools to facilitate remote room searches.
Inspired by the model developed by the Université de Technologie de Belfort-Montbéliard (UTBM), the initiative aims to strengthen links between universities and industry while giving students the opportunity to work on concrete problems.
According to the organizers, Crunch Time Innovation offers an intensive learning environment that places students in conditions similar to those of the professional world, encouraging innovation, collaboration and creativity.
For Komlan Batawila, first vice-president of the University of Lomé, this new edition is expected to serve as a real testing ground for ideas and innovation, reflecting the university’s commitment to training engineers and specialists capable of addressing contemporary technological and societal challenges.
Professor Kondo Hloindo Adjallah, director of École Polytechnique de Lomé, for his part encouraged students to fully use their creativity and technical skills to propose solutions adapted to the problems presented by partner companies.
Esaïe Edoh
Togo begins nationwide polio vaccination campaign following confirmed case
Togo’s Ministry of Health announced on Tuesday, March 10, that a nationwide polio vaccination campaign will run from March 12 to April 18, targeting children under five.
The campaign will take place in two phases: the first from March 12 to 14 and the second from April 16 to 18. It aims to vaccinate about 1.8 million children through door-to-door visits to households. Vaccination teams will also operate in public places such as schools, markets, churches and other community venues.
The initiative follows the confirmation of a polio case on February 20 in the Mô health district. Health authorities said the campaign will target all children regardless of their vaccination status.
Poliomyelitis is a highly contagious viral disease that can cause irreversible paralysis in children. Symptoms include fever, fatigue, vomiting and muscle pain. Experts say vaccination remains essential to protect young children and prevent the spread of the virus.
Esaïe Edoh
Egypt’s Orascom Group explores investment opportunities in Togo
Egypt's Orascom Group, led by billionaire Naguib Sawiris, who ranked seventh on Forbes’ 2025 list of Africa’s wealthiest individuals, is moving closer to entering the Togolese market. Togolese Minister of Investment Promotion Arthur Lilas Trimua said on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, that he met with the Egyptian businessman in Lomé to discuss potential investments in the country.
Orascom, whose activities span telecommunications, emerging technologies, media and construction, has been targeting the Togolese market for several years. In 2019, the conglomerate secured $170 million in financing from the African Export-Import Bank to support its expansion across Africa.
As part of this expansion strategy, the group’s founder and his team are exploring several projects in Togo in which they could partner. While the sectors under consideration have not yet been disclosed, Togolese authorities see the discussions as a sign of growing interest from international investors in the country’s economic prospects.
Operating in several regions worldwide, Orascom Development Holding has spent decades delivering large-scale projects in infrastructure, tourism, real estate and energy. A potential entry into Togo could strengthen the country’s appeal to foreign investors and create new jobs, particularly for young people.
A major player in telecommunications, the group also made history in Egypt when it launched Mobinil in 1998, the country’s first mobile network operator.
Esaïe Edoh
Togo connects nearly 100,000 households to power through Fonds Tinga in 2022–2025
Togo’s Fonds Tinga programme, launched in 2022 to expand electricity access for low-income households, had delivered nearly 100,000 new connections by the end of 2025, the Ministry of Energy and Mines said earlier this week, highlighting the initiative’s role in accelerating rural and peri-urban electrification.
Operating across several regions, the scheme targets economically vulnerable households and enables them to connect to the national grid through an affordable instalment-based payment model. Beneficiaries pay an upfront fee of just 1,000 CFA francs, compared with the standard connection cost of about 100,000 CFA francs, and repay the balance through monthly instalments spread over four to ten years.
The programme is already showing tangible results. In the Savanes region, the electrification rate rose from 22% in 2022 to 33% in 2023. In Kara, coverage increased from 35% to 44%, while Plateaux recorded a jump from 29% to 39%, a gain of roughly ten percentage points in each region.
Backed by a three-billion-CFA-franc budget, Fonds Tinga forms part of a broader national energy strategy. According to the ministry, several major programmes, including CIZO, the solar mini-grid initiative, and a €62-million project extending 1,300 km of medium-voltage lines and 882 km of low-voltage lines, have helped push Togo’s national electricity access rate above 75% by the end of 2025, up sharply from much lower levels in recent years.
Esaïe Edoh
At Lomé scientific forum, CAMES pushes for coordinated African research policy
Togo is hosting the seventh edition of the Scientific Days of the African and Malagasy Council for Higher Education (CAMES), which opened on March 9 in Lomé.
The biennial gathering brought together ministers, researchers, experts and university leaders from more than twenty countries to discuss ways to deepen scientific cooperation and build a shared research policy across French-speaking Africa.
The discussions come as global technological competition intensifies and Africa remains reliant on innovations developed abroad. For Togo’s Minister of National Education, Mama Omourou, the stakes extend beyond academia.
“Scientific dependence has become a suicidal strategic vulnerability, and scientific sovereignty is now a matter of the highest strategic importance,” he told delegates at the opening session.
Participants called for research to focus more directly on key industries, including agro-industry, energy and local raw-material processing. Several experts said stronger scientific integration could help support member states’ industrialisation strategies.
CAMES Secretary-General Professor Souleymane Konaté reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to harmonising higher education and research policies across the region. He presented the CAMES Strategic Development Plan 2024-2028, aimed at strengthening research evaluation systems and promoting academic integration to support sustainable development.
Funding also featured prominently in the discussions. Despite accounting for more than 18% of the world’s population, Africa produces only about 2% of global scientific output, with the CAMES zone estimated to contribute just 1%.
Dr. Diaka Sidibé, President of the CAMES Council of Ministers, said closing that gap will require regional funding mechanisms and the pooling of research infrastructure across member states.
The conference runs through March 12 and is expected to conclude with the adoption of guidelines aimed at strengthening African scientific cooperation.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
Togo Moves to Standardise Geographic Coordinates for Mapping and Urban Planning
Togo's government has announced new measures to unify the geographic reference systems used in cartography, urban planning and land management. The reform, officials say, will modernise the country's geospatial infrastructure and improve the reliability of spatial data nationwide.
The measures were unveiled on Monday, March 9, 2026, by Minister of Finance and Budget Georges Barcola and Minister of Territorial Planning and Development Kodjo Adedze.
Under the new framework, geodetic and levelling benchmarks will be installed across the country, alongside a network of Continuously Operating Reference Stations (CORS), which will serve as the country's official geospatial reference points. Authorities described the initiative as part of a broader modernisation of Togo's geospatial infrastructure and a reform of the national geographic information system.
All professionals working in the fields of cartography, topography, land registry, urban planning, territorial development and infrastructure will be required to align their work with these official reference systems. "All work must be tied to the official reference systems or risk being rejected," the two ministers stated.
A three-month transition period has been granted to give professionals time to adapt their equipment and working methods to the new geospatial standards.
In the longer term, the reform is expected to improve the compatibility of maps and spatial data across the country, facilitating urban planning, the delineation of residential zones and infrastructure development. It should also contribute to strengthening land tenure security by enhancing the precision with which plots and property titles are geographically located.
The announcement comes just weeks after the creation of the National Geographic Institute of Togo (IGNT), the body tasked with improving the production and reliability of the country's geographic data.
Togo commits to completing household living conditions survey by end-2026
Togo’s capital is currently hosting the regional mid-term workshop for the third edition of the Harmonized Survey on Household Living Conditions (EHCVM 2025/26). Scheduled to run until March 13, 2026, the event is organized by the WAEMU (UEMOA) Commission as part of the Harmonizing and Improving Statistics in West and Central Africa Project (HISWACA/PHASAOC), a World Bank-funded initiative spanning 2023-2028.
The technical sessions have brought together approximately sixty statistical experts from the eight WAEMU member states, alongside representatives from Guinea, AFRISTAT, the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO), the West African Development Bank (BOAD), and the World Bank. The workshop focuses on three core components: household data, community infrastructure, and price tracking.
The survey’s methodology is designed to provide a comprehensive snapshot of socio-economic conditions in the region through a multifaceted technical framework. The household component involves direct interviews with families regarding income, expenditure, and access to education, healthcare, and employment to generate poverty metrics. In addition, the community component evaluates local infrastructure and basic services to contextualize household data within their actual environment. Finally, the price component ensures a systematic recording of consumer goods prices in local markets, allowing for seasonal adjustments and ensuring that results remain comparable across countries and over time.
Togo Targets Year-End Deadline Despite Delays
Togo is currently the only WAEMU member state yet to complete its first wave of data collection, following internal delays that postponed the initial rollout. However, the government has signaled a firm commitment to catching up with its regional peers.
"Measures have been taken to ensure that by the end of 2026, our country will have conducted both waves of the EHCVM3," stated Béguédouwé Paneto, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Planning and Cooperation. He emphasized that this timeline would ensure Togo fully complies with the WAEMU Decision establishing the survey framework. In practical terms, the training of mapping agents and enumerators from the National Institute of Statistics and Economic and Demographic Studies (INSEED) commenced in Lomé on February 9, 2026. Under the WAEMU directive issued in October 2025, both collection waves must be finalized before December 2026.
Data at the Heart of Public Policy
The EHCVM-3 is tasked with updating the socio-economic indicators essential for guiding public policy. The most recent available data from the EHCVM-2 (2021-2022) showed significant progress, as monetary poverty fell to 43.8%, down from 45.5% in 2018 and 55.1% in 2015, a decline of over 11 percentage points in six years. Multidimensional poverty also improved, dropping from 37.1% to 28.9%, though regional disparities remained, with the Savanes region recording the highest poverty incidence.
This third edition will serve as a vital tool for measuring the impact of reforms implemented since 2022. Furthermore, the collected data will be instrumental in monitoring the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and evaluating the final outcomes of the Togo 2025 Government Roadmap.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
Togo, World Bank assess performance of 18 active projects
Togo and the World Bank held a meeting last week to review projects and programs financed by the lender in the country. The session brought together stakeholders involved in implementing the projects to assess the overall portfolio, identify constraints and propose solutions to improve delivery to local communities.
The World Bank's portfolio in Togo currently totals $1.49 billion and covers 18 active projects and programs, including 10 national and 8 regional. Separately, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Group's private-sector arm, invested about $320 million between 2020 and 2025 to support the development of Togo's private sector. The Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) had a portfolio in Togo worth $172 million as of Dec. 31, 2025, in addition to a $585 million guarantee.
Those funds support initiatives across several key sectors, including employment, energy, governance, agriculture, health, education, local development, social protection, water access, transportation and urban development.
The review assessed the performance of ongoing projects, identified persistent constraints and agreed on corrective measures to strengthen their impact on the population.
Among the main challenges were slow procurement procedures, insufficient resources and limited capacity to absorb funds, which have delayed the implementation of some projects. Participants also highlighted difficulties related to inter-institutional coordination and the monitoring of certain activities.
In response, Anumu Ketoglo, economic adviser to the President of the Council, called on stakeholders to show greater speed, discipline and coordination. “Portfolio performance is not limited to financial commitments or disbursements. It is measured above all by the real impact of projects on people's lives,” he said.
Despite those constraints, World Bank Country Director for Togo Tony Verheijen praised the country’s track record. According to him, Togo has long stood out in the sub-region for the quality of its project portfolio management.
“This has translated into a gradual increase in the size of the portfolio over the years, with innovative projects that support Togo’s development ambitions and respond to the needs of its population,” he said.
Esaïe Edoh
Turkey-Togo Relations Take Center Stage at Lomé Diplomatic Club's First 2026 Session
The Lomé Diplomatic Club opened its 2026 agenda with a session focused on strengthening economic relations between Togo and Turkey. Organized last weekend by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and African Integration, the event brought together diplomats, government officials and business leaders to discuss Africa–Turkey relations.
Speaking at the forum, Turkey’s ambassador to Togo, Muteber Kılıç, outlined the evolution of economic ties between Ankara and the African continent. Trade between Turkey and Africa rose from $5.4 billion in 2003 to $40.7 billion in 2025, with Ankara targeting $50 billion in the coming years.
At the bilateral level, economic exchanges between Lomé and Ankara have also accelerated. Trade between the two countries increased from $128 million in 2021 to nearly $270 million in 2025, according to figures presented at the meeting.
A delegation of Turkish business representatives, members of the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK), is expected to visit Lomé in May. The mission aims to strengthen partnerships between companies from both countries and identify investment opportunities in infrastructure, agriculture, tourism and technology.
The visit will build on previous business missions and economic forums involving companies from both countries. It will also provide an opportunity to follow up on contacts made during recent economic gatherings, including the World Cooperation Industry Forum held in Istanbul.
Logistics and academic cooperation
Beyond trade, discussions have also focused on logistics and connectivity. The two countries are considering the creation of a direct maritime link between the Autonomous Port of Lomé and the Turkish port of Mersin, with the aim of reducing transit times and improving access to West African hinterland markets.
On the academic front, Lomé and Ankara are exploring ways to increase the number of scholarships available to Togolese students in technical and scientific fields, while expanding faculty exchange programs.
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