By the end of January 2025, Togo’s student health insurance program, SCHOOL AMU, had raised CFA356 million, according to the National Health Insurance Institute (INAM). This program, which replaced the School Assur initiative, is now part of the Universal Health Insurance (UHI) system.

SCHOOL AMU provides health coverage for pupils in public schools, ranging from nursery to secondary school. Each pupil is entitled to a maximum annual cover of CFA30,000. The scheme covers consultations, hospitalization, medical tests, pharmacy services, and minor surgeries at approved public health facilities.

Regional data highlights Plateaux and Savanes as the top beneficiaries. INAM reported that by January 2025, 213,411 treatment forms had been used under SCHOOL AMU. The Plateaux region recorded 73,141 consultations, costing CFA133.3 million, while Savanes followed with 70,250 forms used and expenditures totaling CFA105.1 million. Other regions benefiting include Maritime, Centrale, Kara, and Grand Lomé.

Nationwide, approximately 2.2 million pupils are eligible for state health coverage during the current school year. SCHOOL AMU was officially integrated into UHI in October 2024 after operating as School Assur since its launch in 2017.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Togo’s capital, Lomé, is hosting a sub-regional workshop on urban resilience and climate risk management, convening experts in West Africa.

Organized by the German development agency GIZ, in collaboration with the African Union and the Decentralisation and Governance program (ProDeG IV), the event runs through March 20. Participants include representatives from ECOWAS, private industry, and academia.

The workshop comes as sub-Saharan Africa experiences rapid urbanization, straining infrastructure and housing while exposing cities to increasing risks from natural disasters and climate change. 

Dr. Edoh Komla Théodore, Director of Cabinet at Togo’s Ministry of Urban Planning, underscored the stakes: “The strong growth of cities, while an economic opportunity, also exposes populations to increased risks, notably flooding, drought, and landslides.”

The opening session focused on strategies for sustainable urbanization, risk management, and financing resilience projects. Discussions also addressed regulatory frameworks and financial solutions to foster inclusive urban development.

Two additional workshops are planned. The second will examine participatory risk analyses and financing opportunities. The final session will focus on drafting concrete action plans to create urban models better equipped to withstand climate challenges.

The overarching goal is to combine local expertise with global best practices to shape cities that can adapt to an increasingly volatile climate.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Togo has taken a major step forward in technical and vocational education. On March 18, 2025, four key institutions—Institut national de formation et de perfectionnement professionnels (INFPP), the Agence de l'Éducation-Développement (AED), the Centre régional de formation pour l'entretien routier (CERFER), and the Centre de formation aux métiers de l'industrie (CFMI) —signed a partnership agreement in Lomé to revamp the sector.

The agreement, outlined in 10 articles, focuses on three main areas: sharing expertise, providing necessary equipment, and offering market-driven training. The initiative aligns with Togo’s 2020-2025 government roadmap and Sustainable Development Goal 4, which promotes quality education.

The initial three-year pilot phase targets critical fields like refrigeration, civil engineering, air conditioning, car mechanics, and plumbing. This move was prompted by a lack of applications in recent teacher recruitment, as noted by Assedi Kossi Ikélé, Director at the Ministry for Technical Education.

Ikélé hailed the agreement as "a major step towards overhauling and improving the Togolese education system," emphasizing its role in enhancing quality education and workforce integration. INFPP Director Emile Kossi N'Guissan added that it supports Togo's 2018 education policy that promotes teaching excellence. “This partnership reinforces our commitment to ensuring quality education across the country,” he said. 

Esaïe Edoh

Togo will participate in the 2025 Osaka World Expo which begins on April 13 and ends on October 13. Ahead of the event, the Togolese Ministry of Industry and Investment, in partnership with the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (CCI-Togo).

The session will provide critical information about the Expo, allowing participants to ask questions and receive practical advice. According to the committee overseeing Togo’s participation, it will be an opportunity for Togolese companies to grasp the challenges and advantages of this event while ensuring that the country is effectively represented.

The Osaka World Expo 2025, themed "Designing Future Society for Our Lives”, offers Togo a global platform to showcase its innovations, businesses, and ability to form strategic international partnerships.

This article was initially published in French by Esaïe Edoh

Edited in English by Ola Schad Akinocho

Togo is moving forward with the African Development Bank's Projet de Renforcement de l'Environnement PPP pour la Promotion des Investissements Privés  (PREPIP) project, a program already implemented in several African nations. The Ministry of Economy and Finance announced that the Bank will provide CFA823 million to support this initiative.

The two-year project aims to strengthen Togo’s public-private partnership (PPP) framework to attract private investment. The focus will be on improving legal and institutional structures while training stakeholders involved in PPPs. 

In line with these efforts, Togo will also introduce the Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP), designed to attract domestic and international investors.

The initiative will accelerate the work of "Unité PPP," a public-private partnership unit established in 2022. This unit advises government agencies on preparing and executing PPP contracts, ensuring effective collaboration with private entities.

The Togolese government seeks to boost the country’s competitiveness, diversify funding for strategic infrastructure projects, and improve living standards for the people.

This article was initially published in French by Esaïe Edoh

Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum

The World Bank will support the establishment of 12 new community justice houses in Togo. Four of the houses will be in the Savanes region. The support was disclosed last week, during a visit of a World Bank delegation to the Agoè-Nyivé Community Justice House. 

The delegation was led by Lisa Rosen, the Group's Vice President for Ethics and Internal Justice Services. They took the opportunity to observe how these justice houses operate and resolve minor disputes at a low cost.

Growing impact and adoption

Togo established the Community Justice House in 2018 to bridge the gap between traditional courts and local mediation systems. These structures reduce congestion in conventional courts and provide free, simplified access to justice. Roger Tagbé, Director of Access to Law and Justice, reported that referrals increased from 3,857 in 2022 to 5,518 in 2024. Recoveries also rose from CFA53 million in 2022 to CFA112 million in 2024. Mediation success rates improved from 85.80% in 2023 to over 90% in 2024.

Mipamb-Nahm-Tchougli, Togo’s Minister of Justice, emphasized that these improvements align with national priorities for accessible and efficient justice systems.

This article was initially published in French by Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Edited in English by Ola Schad Akinocho

In response to the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) suggestion to cut VAT exemptions to boost its public revenue, Togo plans an in-depth audit of its tax system, before making any changes.

In its latest report, the IMF urged Togo to reform its tax framework to increase public revenue. Key suggestions include reducing VAT exemptions, extending personal income tax (IRPP), and aligning with the global minimum tax for certain companies. Among these, VAT exemptions are the primary focus.

In 2023, VAT exemptions cost the Togolese government CFA60.8 billion—42.4% of total tax expenditure, or 2.6% of GDP. This figure is significant given Togo’s efforts to improve public revenue collection. In 2022, CFA40.8 billion in VAT revenue was also lost due to exemptions.

Despite the IMF’s push, Togo is taking a cautious approach. Authorities fear that abruptly removing VAT exemptions could harm certain sectors and raise living costs. To address this, the government plans to assess VAT exemptions by June 2025 to identify which ones benefit low-income households and which primarily help businesses or wealthier groups.

The goal is to differentiate between “progressive” exemptions that support vulnerable populations and “regressive” ones that favor higher-income groups or specific industries. However, reducing exemptions would likely mean higher taxes on some goods and services, potentially increasing living costs for households that spend most of their income on consumption. Businesses benefiting from current tax breaks may also face reduced competitiveness as they pass on higher costs to consumers or cut investments.

To offset the potential negative effects of the reduction, the IMF has proposed targeted cash transfers for vulnerable populations. The government is working on a comprehensive medium-term revenue mobilization strategy (SMRMT), expected by June 2026, which could include such measures. This plan will rely on a biometric identification system under development to ensure accurate targeting and avoid duplicate benefits. By the end of 2025, half of Togo’s population and most poor households are expected to be registered in this system.

A Delicate Reform

The debate over VAT reform remains contentious. Some economists argue that VAT exemptions protect low-income households’ purchasing power, while others highlight the revenue loss for the state, which limits its ability to invest in infrastructure and public services.

Another issue is special tax regimes, designed to attract investment but also reduces state revenues. The IMF suggests gradually requiring companies benefiting from these regimes to relocate into special economic zones.

Fiacre E. Kakpo

Togo launched its 2025 cashew marketing campaign on March 13, 2025, with a significant price increase. The new price is CFA425 per kilogram, up from CFA325 FCFA last year—up by 30%. The sector’s umbrella organization decided the increase on March 12 in Kara, on the sidelines of the second Togo Cashew National Day.

Mawuko Komlan Gozan, President of the Comité Interprofessionnel de la Filière Anacarde du Togo (CIFAT), said the price was raised to protect farmers from market shifts and preserve profitability.

The campaign launch comes with new rules in the sector. For example, farmers, buyers, and processors agreed on a minimum threshold of 20 tonnes before getting approval to move nuts to Lomé. Penalties have been introduced to stop marketing fraud.

At the launch, Hounaké Kossivi, Minister Delegate for Trade, Handicrafts, and Local Consumption, emphasized these measures’ importance for making the sector more organized and resilient.

Last year, Togo produced 34,500 tonnes of cashew, against 41,000 tonnes in 2023, or 16% less year-on-year. Unstable global prices and bad weather were among the factors that spurred the drop.

To address these challenges, stakeholders are working to boost production and increase local processing to capture more value.

Esaïe Edoh

Over the past weekend, Togo’s University of Lomé (UL) sealed a major deal with SIGMA Scientific Group (Togo) and CESI École d'ingénieurs (France). The partnership aims to enhance engineering education and applied research in various fields, including artificial intelligence, sustainable cities, and energy performance. This move strengthens UL’s push for innovation and global collaboration.

The agreement focuses on key areas, like student and faculty exchanges, dual degree programs, and joint research initiatives. “This partnership reflects our commitment to training skilled professionals and integrating UL into global networks of excellence,” said Prof. Adama Mawulé Kpodar, UL President.

Mama Omorou, founder of SIGMA, highlighted the deal’s broader impact, saying: “By investing in training and innovation, we are building an ecosystem for competitiveness and technological entrepreneurship.”

A few days before, the same week, the UL had discussed with Shandong University in China to deepen their cooperation on scientific innovation.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi