Togo First
Togo's Coastal Resilience Project 82% Complete as Closure Nears
A World Bank delegation wrapped up an assessment mission in Togo on Wednesday, reviewing progress under the West Africa Coastal Areas Resilience Investment Project (WACA ResIP-Togo). The 15th mission assessed delivery of activities in the 2025 Annual Work Plan and Budget.
According to findings presented at the end of the mission, which began on Nov. 24, physical progress on the 2025 plan reached 82% as of Nov. 30, while financial disbursement stood at 86.11% as of Nov. 21.
The review covered financial management, procurement, implementation of subprojects, monitoring and evaluation, communications, environmental and social safeguards, and civil works.
Given the results, mission lead Koffi Houkpé urged the Project Management Unit (PMU) to speed up completion of remaining activities, with one year left before project closure.
To sustain momentum, the mission said a permanent monitoring system will be set up to track project sponsors, service providers and contractors operating in the field.
The mission and the PMU also discussed WACA+ (Blue Economy), an extension of the program that incorporates blue-economy concepts to support sustainable development in coastal areas.
WACA ResIP aims to boost the resilience of coastal communities to natural and human-induced risks in six West African countries, including Togo. The Togo component has $55.5 million in financing and is expected to benefit about 200,000 people.
Esaïe Edoh
Togo’s Microfinance Network Grows to 63 APSFD Members
The Professional Association of Decentralized Financial Systems of Togo (APSFD-Togo) now counts 63 active member institutions, representing a substantial share of the country’s microfinance sector.
By comparison, more than 140 microfinance institutions are recognized by the Finance Ministry’s Directorate of Microfinance, some of which operate under umbrella networks such as FUCEC.
APSFD’s 63 member institutions operate in major cities and many rural areas. They offer savings, credit and other financial services to households, small traders and very small businesses. Membership includes additional oversight aimed at standardizing practices, strengthening training and improving service quality.
Microfinance institutions remain a key access point to financial services in rural and underserved areas, especially for clients with limited credit histories. They fill the gap left by the limited presence of commercial banks and support local economic activity.
APSFD assists its members in governance, risk management and compliance with regulatory requirements.
According to consolidated APSFD data for the end of 2024, the sector continued to expand. The number of clients reached 4,452,373, an increase of 7.9 percent over one year. Deposits rose 9.1 percent to 401.7 billion CFA francs, while the credit portfolio grew 5.3 percent to 358.9 billion CFA francs.
FUCEC-Togo remains the largest player in the sector, with assets of 167 billion CFA francs. The network, which includes more than 40 affiliated institutions, accounted for 46 percent of the sector total in 2024. It was followed by COOPEC AD-Togo with 38.4 billion CFA francs, COMEC with 29 billion, WAGES with 21 billion and CECA with 10 billion.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
Togo’s Kara Region Approves 2024 Statistical Yearbook
Togo’s Kara region has approved its 2024 statistical yearbook, the regional office of the National Institute of Statistics (INSEED) said on Tuesday.
The document was finalized during a Dec. 2 workshop that reviewed and approved data collected from key sectors including education, health, agriculture, the economy, the environment and commerce.
INSEED officials said the yearbook will help improve monitoring of local public projects and assess their impact on communities.
Kozah Prefect Col. Bonfoh Faré stressed the importance of statistics in public policy planning, saying decision-makers rely on accurate data to guide investments, adjust projects and anticipate local needs.
Abdoulaye Nouroudine, regional director of INSEED-Kara, added that data quality is essential to avoid misleading planners.
The workshop also detailed how education data is processed: information on student numbers, infrastructure and equipment needs is collected at the start of the school year, consolidated after national-level approval and then transmitted to INSEED.
The yearbook validation is part of an ongoing process. In December 2024, the region updated its previous edition covering 2022-2023, reflecting efforts to keep regional data regularly updated.
R.E.D.
Togolese Banks Hold Billions in Excess Reserves as Lending Declines
Banks in Togo continue to hold reserves consistently above the minimum required by the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO), according to official data.
Reserve requirements help preserve banking-system stability by ensuring a minimum level of liquidity and influencing how much banks can lend.
Between January and September 2025, required reserves at Togolese banks ranged from 66.7 billion to 72.6 billion CFA francs, the October Monthly Statistics Bulletin showed. Actual reserves were much higher, rising and falling between 116.9 billion and 164.9 billion CFA francs over the same period.
This indicates a strong preference for liquidity, with banks maintaining a sizeable buffer above the regulatory threshold.
Reserves peaked at 164.9 billion CFA francs from mid-January to mid-February before falling to 123.6 billion in May and 118.8 billion in June. They then briefly rebounded to 157.6 billion between June 16 and July 15, before dropping again to 116.9 billion in September.
The volatility may reflect banks’ efforts to balance liquidity management, financing needs and investment opportunities in regional markets.
Large excess reserves give banks a comfortable cushion to meet withdrawals and manage risk, but they also directly reduce the funds available for lending, since liquidity parked at the BCEAO does not circulate in the real economy.
By the end of the first quarter of 2025, outstanding bank credit in Togo totalled 1,788.3 billion CFA francs, down 5.5% year-on-year.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
AU Mediator Gnassingbé to Attend DRC-Rwanda Peace Signing in Washington
Faure Gnassingbé, President of the Council of Ministers of Togo, will attend the signing of a peace agreement between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda in Washington today, his office said in a statement on Wednesday.
Gnassingbé will take part in his capacity as the African Union’s appointed mediator for the Great Lakes crisis. The ceremony will be hosted by the United States.
The agreement will be signed by Congolese President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame. The initiative aims to help restore stability in the Great Lakes region, particularly in eastern DRC, parts of which have been held by the M23 armed group for several months.
Gnassingbé has held diplomatic talks in recent months with regional and international partners, working closely with the African Union to encourage dialogue and support efforts toward lasting peace, his office said.
The Washington ceremony follows an international conference held in Paris a few weeks ago by France and Togo that focused on advancing peace and development in the Great Lakes region. The meeting drew international attention to the worsening humanitarian situation, especially in eastern DRC and surrounding areas.
Togo, Burkina Faso, Niger Plan Smart Transport System for Key Trade Route
Togo, Burkina Faso and Niger aim to develop an intelligent transport system to improve the flow of goods and people along the Lomé-Ouagadougou-Niamey corridor. A two-day technical workshop opened in Lomé on Wednesday to review and validate studies ahead of the project.
The workshop, organized by the Economic Corridor Project Coordination Unit (PCE-LON) and funded by the World Bank, runs until Thursday and focuses on reviewing reports from several preliminary studies.
A technical study conducted by an international consultant on behalf of the three countries sets out the technical architecture, databases, cost estimates and bidding documents needed to deploy the future intelligent transport system (ITS). According to documents reviewed, the system will rely on geolocation technologies, interconnected information systems, real-time data collection and digital traffic management tools. The project must also take persistent security challenges along the corridor into account to ensure safer movement of goods and people.
“This intelligent transport system is a key tool for promoting smoother transit, greater transparency in operations and more digital processes,” said Dr. Michel Komlan Tindano, Secretary General of the Ministry of Transport.
The aim is to reduce roadside harassment on this major trade route, cut repetitive checks, improve information-sharing between administrations and facilitate freight movement between Lomé, Cinkassé, Ouagadougou and Niamey.
The corridor is a major logistics artery for the landlocked economies of Burkina Faso and Niger, while nearly 90 percent of goods destined for the continent move by sea.
The ITS forms part of a national strategy to strengthen the role of the Autonomous Port of Lomé as a regional logistics hub. It also supports ongoing reforms to improve road safety and lower logistics costs, a key issue for regional competitiveness.
Funded by 470 million dollars from the World Bank for the entire corridor, including 120 million dollars for Togo, the PCE-LON project aims to improve regional connectivity and socio-economic infrastructure along the route linking the three capitals.
At the end of the workshop, transport actors, government agencies and industry groups were invited to make recommendations to finalize the reports and prepare for deployment. The next step will be moving to operational implementation of the ITS to strengthen the corridor.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
Togo: Chinese Firms Pitch Investments, Partnerships at 20th Lomé Fair
A group of about 30 Chinese companies are looking to strengthen their presence in Togo and explore collaboration opportunities with local businesses across several sectors. During the China-dedicated day on Saturday at the 20th Lomé International Fair (FIL), they presented investment opportunities, industrial partnerships and prospects for expanding bilateral trade to Togolese operators.
The companies, operating in sectors such as agribusiness, industrial equipment, energy, technology, transport and textiles, aim to promote business partnerships, support skills transfer and identify major investment projects that align with Togo’s development priorities, according to event officials.
“These companies have come from afar with a sincere willingness to promote win-win cooperation. They want not only to explore new markets, but also to turn their investments and experience into a driving force for the Togolese economy,” said Wang Min, China’s ambassador to Togo. She added that China’s participation at the 20th FIL is an opportunity to deepen cooperation between the two countries.
As China supports Togo across multiple areas of cooperation, its presence at the fair is part of broader efforts to further strengthen economic relations between the two countries, in line with commitments made at the 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).
Esaïe Edoh
Togo’s Gnassingbé Says Government Will Consider Clemency for Vulnerable Prisoners
Togo’s President of the Council of Ministers, Faure Gnassingbé, told parliament on Tuesday that the government will soon consider clemency measures for vulnerable prisoners.
He instructed Justice Minister Pacôme Adjourouvi to submit proposals “based on principles of equity and justice” for priority cases, including detainees held for long periods, those convicted of minor offenses, elderly prisoners, people nearing the end of their sentences, and seriously ill inmates.
He stressed that this does not represent a softening of judicial rigor. “This is not about leniency,” he said, adding that the measures will not apply to violent crimes or offenses involving serious harm.
Togo has taken similar steps before. In December 2024, a special pardon led to the release of 1,064 prisoners who had completed their sentences as part of a social cohesion initiative.
The new government says it wants to combine judicial modernization with a more humane approach centered on reintegration. It also aims to strengthen the fight against corruption and expand equal access to justice throughout the country.
R.E.D.
Port security project for West, Central Africa launched in Togo
A new phase of the "SCOPE Africa" project, a regional initiative to strengthen the security of strategic ports in West and Central Africa, started this week in Lomé.
The project was launched at a two-day seminar that opened on Tuesday, led by Togo's High Council for the Sea (HCM). The HCM's chief of staff, Penn Laré, said securing maritime areas is beyond the capacity of any single country and that the project builds on more than a decade of programs that have improved regional cooperation.
SCOPE Africa aims to strengthen compliance with international standards, improve risk management, train port stakeholders with a focus on inclusion, and reinforce coordination and response mechanisms.
Its launch comes as nearly 90% of trade to the continent moves by sea. Port traffic in the region is growing by an estimated 7% a year, and ports play a key role in moving goods, especially to landlocked countries. That growth also exposes port infrastructure to a range of risks, including industrial accidents, illicit trafficking, environmental pressures and threats linked to regional instability.
Funded by the European Union and implemented by Expertise France and Enabel, the project comes amid rising maritime trade and mounting security pressures.
For Brussels, represented by Ambassador Gwilym Ceri Jones, SCOPE Africa is an operational component of the EU's "Global Gateway" strategy. Ten ports have been selected, including Lomé, Dakar, Abidjan, Lagos and Douala.
In the long term, the project aims to ease trade flows, strengthen strategic corridors and support regional economic integration.
The Lomé meetings will seek to clarify the project's operational arrangements and assess the needs of the participating ports. The agenda also includes a visit to the Autonomous Port of Lomé, a major hub in the Gulf of Guinea.
Togo, UNIDO Sign 2026-2030 Partnership to Drive Industrial Development
The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) will support Togo through a new Country Partnership Program (CPP) for 2026 to 2030. A framework agreement was signed by the two sides on the sidelines of UNIDO’s 21st General Conference, held from Nov. 23 to 27, 2025, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Togo’s Minister of Economy and Strategic Foresight, Badanam Patoki, and Minister Delegate for Investment Promotion, Arthur Lilas Trimua, attended the signing ceremony.
The program aims to help Togo implement its industrial development priorities in line with the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 9 on industry, innovation and infrastructure. It will focus on improving industrial governance, building technical skills, and rolling out sustainable energy and environmental initiatives.
The CPP also targets the expansion of agro-industrial value chains, a key sector for increasing local processing of agricultural outputs, and prioritizes the development of the Agbélouvé industrial park.
“The CPP offers tailored support based on Togo’s priorities. It forms part of the country’s broader structural transformation efforts,” said Tidiane Boyé, UNIDO’s regional representative for Côte d’Ivoire, Benin, Niger and Togo, speaking recently in Lomé.
The Togolese government sees the partnership as a tool to accelerate the country’s industrial transformation. Officials expect it to stimulate investment, modernize production systems and strengthen the competitiveness of the manufacturing sector.
Under the new framework, Lomé aims to boost its appeal to investors, fast-track major industrial projects and position Togo as a regional hub for production and exports.
Esaïe Edoh