The former head of Orabank Gabon, Mrs. Kayi Midedor is Togo’s new minister for investment promotion. 

She took office last Monday, following a ceremony at the ministry of trade. 

The new member of the Dogbé government will contribute to the consolidation of the country’s policy to boost its economic attractiveness, as well as its external funds' mobilization capacity, amid difficulties spurred by the Covid-19 pandemic. In this regard, the ministry for investment promotion and the ministry of trade and industry will collaborate closely. 

With this recent appointment, the Dogbé government now has 34 ministers, including 12 females.

The Technical and Professional Senior High School of Lomé (LETP) will, over the next three years, get IT equipment, as a result of a partnership between the ministry of education and mobile operator Moov-Togo. 

The various agreements sealing the collaboration between these two parties were signed last week by the minister of education, Dodzi Kokoroko, and the operator’s MD, Abdellah Tabhiret. 

Both parties indicated that the partnership’s main goal is to speed up the digital integration of Togo’s education system, in line with the government’s ambitions, and provide some professional experience to Togolese high school students. 

“We will successfully change education conditions in Togo,” declared Kokoroko, adding that “the new partnership already provides perspectives for the professional insertion of students,” in a context where many deem the Togolese education “too theoretical.”  

The upcoming material support, it should be noted, follows a recent donation of IT equipment to Togolese universities (from the UNDP). Also, still, to advance the integration of IT in education, public authorities launched in July 2018 the Digital Work Environment project (ENT) in around 10 senior high schools. 

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

The West African Development Bank (BOAD) is exploring with the African Biofuel and Renewable Energy Company (ABREC) a potential partnership to advance the financing of clean energy projects.

To this end, the BOAD’s chairman, Serge Ekue, and ABREC’s CEO met on November 10. According to Ekue, their talks were conclusive. 

ABREC promotes the use of renewables and energy-efficient technologies in West Africa. Founded with a share capital of more than CFA2 billion, the company’s main mission is to make it easy for investors to inject funds into projects aimed at boosting Africa’s resilience to climate change. 

Séna Akoda

UK-based power developer BBOXX is seeking a managing director to take over its Togolese subsidiary. Applicants should preferably be Togolese citizens or from the diaspora. 

The new manager’s main mission will include the continuation of BBOXX’s expansion strategy in the local market. 

Active in Togo since 2017, the firm sets up domestic solar systems across the country. It was for a long period the sole partner of the CIZO presidential project to boost access to off-grid electricity in rural areas. Two years ago, BBOXX entered a joint venture with French company EDF, to speed up investments in and boost Togo’s off-grid network.

Philippe Kokou Tchodie, the general commissioner of Togo’s revenue office, was recently appointed as chairman of the African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF).

Appointed during the ATAF’s latest virtual general assembly, the Togolese will lead the organization for two years. He will head the representatives of the body’s offices in South Africa, Burundi, Kenya, Morocco, Mozambique, Rwanda, the Gambia, Uganda, and Zambia. 

Established in 2008, ATAF is an intergovernmental organization that promotes cooperation between African tax authorities. It’s the first time that a Togolese is heading the organization. 

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

In line with its ambition to optimize the cassava value chain, the Nouvelle Société de Commercialisation des Produits Agroalimentaires (NSCPA) is setting up in Atakpamé (161.5 km from Lomé) a cassava processing plant. 

For this project, the NSCPA was backed by the Projet d’Appui à l’Employabilité et à l’Insertion des Jeunes dans les Secteurs Porteurs (PAEIJ-SP or Program Supporting Youth Employment and Insertion in Promising Sectors). According to PAIEJ-SP, equipment at the new plant is already being assembled. 

Yearly, the plant should process 15,000 t of cassava or about 50 t per day. 

According to the AfDB, which is its main financial sponsor, “a year into starting operations, the PAEIJ-SP facilitated the creation of 25,635 direct jobs, 27% of which were secured by women. The project backed 1,793 agricultural associations and trained 15 financial institutions on the financing of agricultural value chains. It also improved access to financing for 16 SMEs, trained 31 executives on managing data systems related to the job market, and created a single ID system to keep track of youth integrated to its entrepreneurship support program.” 

Séna Akoda

Last Thursday, the Higher Authority for the Prevention and Fight against Corruption and Related Offenses (HAPLUCIA) set up a committee to steer an upcoming national strategy to fight these crimes. This committee has 40 members. 

The move aligns with the government’s desire to restructure the HAPLUCIA and fight corruption more efficiently.

Indeed, against expectations, the institution’s establishment did not significantly curb corruption in the country. This is reflected in the recent Transparency International index.

Séna Akoda

From now till December 24, 2020, Togo’s revenue office (OTR) is offering a 40% discount on clearance fee for vehicles and goods not yet delivered. 

The move, which aligns with the OTR’s tax relief strategy, will help boost the clearance of the goods mentioned. This is a Christmas gift that should very much please businesses, importers, exporters, tax commissioners, and consignees. 

It should be noted that a similar campaign was initiated at the end of 2019, and many other times throughout that year. Those interested in the offer had to apply. 

Séna Akoda

To help fight cybercrime, the European Union and Germany will provide €7 million to the ECOWAS States. The financing falls under a project backed by the German Cooperation Agency (GIZ) and Expertise France. 

In effect, the funds will be used to reinforce information infrastructure, improve cybercrime laws - in line with regional, continental, and international standards, and train actors engaged in the fight against cybercrime in the region concerned. 

On October 30, 2020, the ECOWAS, the EU, and Germany officially began their collaboration, under the cybercrime component of the West African Response Against Organised Crime (OCWAR). Besides cybercrime, the megaproject also tackles trafficking, money laundering, and terrorism financing. It is set to run through 2022-2023.