Kossi Adodo was just reelected for a five-year term as the head of the association of companies of the free-trade zone (ASOZOF).  

In addition to renewing his position as president of this association, Adodo who also heads plastics firm NOSITO Sarl, will from now on also chair the board of the ASOZOF in place of the former executive management. 

Let’s indicate that the association which is a member of the national council of employers (CNP-Togo) since 2011, covers various sectors including plastics, mechanics, agrifood, clothing, metallurgy, wood, and pharmaceuticals. It regroups about 60 firms operating in these various sectors. 

The ASOZOF also partners with the State since it contributes to the 2018-2022 national development plan (PND). In this framework, “it will help the government implement this plan, in order to tap the most from its potential by creating more jobs for youths,” according to Adodo.

Between 2011 and 2019, a total of nine (9) billion CFA francs was invested in the craftsmanship sector in Togo, to create jobs and wealth. 

At the end of 2019, 11,300 projects and 10,500 young artisans were financed in this industry, under various mechanisms. Over the period reviewed, 25,000 artisans, out of 60,000 registered, received training aimed at professionalizing and developing their craft. 

An important milestone in developing the sector was the creation of centers for artisanal resources. The project which was led by the government mobilized an investment of nearly XOF950 million. 

Other initiatives include a project aimed at providing health insurance to more than 100,000 artisans and their beneficiaries by 2022, or the organization of the very first international fair for craftsmanship (Miato). The latter aimed to “foster true artisanal businesses and make Togo’s tourism industry more attractive.” 

Séna Akoda

Félix Auger-Aliassime (photo), the young Canadian tennis player of Togolese origin, will support children’s education in Togo, specifically in the Kara region. He will do so under the EduChange project, in partnership with BNP Paribas and NGO CARE. 

At the end of the past week, the youth said he would donate 5$ for every point he wins in official matches. BNP Paribas will for its part give $15, making it $20 per point in total. 

“I am a tennis player, but I am also a citizen of the world. I wish to contribute to the future of young generations, the least favored especially, and I am glad to do so through tennis,” said Auger-Aliassime.

Part of the funds mobilized will be used to buy school supplies (books, notebooks, pens, furniture), and will help school uneducated Togolese children. Another part will be used to renovate sports fields in the region of interest. 

Between 2011 and 2019, a total of nine (9) billion CFA francs was invested in the craftsmanship sector in Togo, to create jobs and wealth. 

At the end of 2019, 11,300 projects and 10,500 young artisans were financed in this industry, under various mechanisms. Over the period reviewed, 25,000 artisans, out of 60,000 registered, received training aimed at professionalizing and developing their craft. 

An important milestone in developing the sector was the creation of centers for artisanal resources. The project which was led by the government mobilized an investment of nearly XOF950 million. 

Other initiatives include a project aimed at providing health insurance to more than 100,000 artisans and their beneficiaries by 2022, or the organization of the very first international fair for craftsmanship (Miato). The latter aimed to “foster true artisanal businesses and make Togo’s tourism industry more attractive.” 

Séna Akoda

Fenix International (acquired by French firm ENGIE in April 2018), Moon (solar kit supplier), and Solergie (partner of Total-Togo) plans to enter the Togolese energy market. 

This was disclosed in a communiqué by John van Zuylen, CEO of Africa Solar industry association, where he lauds Togo’s efforts relative to solar power. 

Let’s emphasize that some of these operators, such as Solergie, are already well-acquainted with the Togolese market. Since the end of 2018, Solergie has set up solergieboxes for homes and small entrepreneurs all over the country. 

The arrival of the new operators will surely boost rural electrification, as they will be joining Soleva and BBOXX which already operate in the country, via the CIZO project.

For the 2017-2019 agricultural campaign in the Kara region, the project to boost youth employment in profitable sectors (PAIEJ-SP) disbursed more than XOF730 million for specific projects and businesses. 

The news was disclosed during a meeting held in Kara last Friday. This was a sharing meeting organized by the regional committee for the selection of projects and partnering technical offices. 

In detail, the funds benefited 171 associations and more than 60 SMEs in the region concerned. Also, a little less than 140 young one-man startups and 337 associations of startups were able to access these funds. 

PAIEJ-SP, which closes this year, aims to promote agricultural value chains, and boost agribusiness. Just like the Agricultural financing incentive mechanism (MIFA), it is one of the tools put in place by the government to bridge the low financial and technical support that impedes the growth of agriculture in Togo.

Last week, Togo’s minister of agriculture, Noel Bataka, launched a game-like app that teaches its users good farming practices. SimulAgri Togo is the name of this app which for the moment focuses on the vegetable, cocoa and rice sectors. 

On one hand, this tool, developed by Simulgames aims at providing farmers information that can help boost their income, yield and yield quality. On another, it should change how young people perceive agricultural jobs.

This application is the second product that emerged from the 2019 Téléfood fundraising operation. The latter aimed at creating 1,000 agricultural businesses led by youths and women. This project now aims at training more than 20,000 young Togolese to agribusiness. 

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

India’s National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) was recently chosen by Togo as a consultant on a 300 MW solar project. 

Under this project, solar mini-grids will be developed. These will add to the country’s current four which are respectively located in Takpapieni in the Savanes region (100 Kwc), Kountoum in the Kara region (100 Kwc), Assoukoko in the central region (250 Kwc), and Bavou in the Plateaux region (150 Kwc). 

The project trusted NTPC falls under the government’s electrification strategy which aims to achieve universal power supply by 2030 - by raising renewables’ share in the energy mix from 3% now to 50% over the period. 

Overall, under its electrification strategy, 317 mini-grids should be set up. In parallel, Togo has decided to greatly tap into its solar potential, knowingly through the CIZO project (which involves individual solar kits) and by developing four solar PV plants. Works for the first of these plants were actually recently launched by President Faure Gnassingbe in Blitta. 

Séna Akoda

The PNUD has granted $286,000 to nine Togolese civil society organizations (CSO) to protect the environment and fight climate change. The related agreement was signed yesterday in Lomé, by Aliou Dia, Resident-Coordinator for PNUD Togo, and the heads of the nine organizations, in the presence of Togo’s minister of environment and forest resources. Koffi Dimizou. 

The monies were given as part of the Global Environment Fund’s microfinance program. The latter, which is carried out by the PNUD, aims at mitigating environmental threats by developing community projects. 

In this regard, the PNUD provides technical and financial support to civil society organizations. Its goal is to back community projects that preserve natural resources and make poor and vulnerable populations more resilient to climate change and environmental degradation.

Séna Akoda