SCAN Togo (a subsidiary of Heidelberg Cement Group) signed yesterday in Lomé a public-private partnership agreement with the German Cooperation (GIZ).

Under the agreement, the two partners commit to provide professional training in craftsmanship and construction works (masonry, carpentry, and joinery) to artisans and youth of Tokpli and its surroundings, about a hundred kilometers northeast of Lomé.

The project aims at improving work quality in the building sector in this community, "by boosting the skills of Togolese artisans and workers as well as training professional craftsmen in the surroundings of SCAN Togo," says Eric Goulignac, MD of SCAN Togo

Around two hundred masons and carpenters will be trained in the project's framework. The latter will span three years and cost XOF134 million. It benefits from GIZ's technical and financial support.

"In 2019, the State recorded a revenue shortfall of XOF650 million in the energy sector after deciding to halve connection fees for the private sector," according to Sandra Johnson, minister-advisor to the President and head of the business climate cell.

This is one of the many sacrifices of the State to make it easier to start up a business in Togo.

The country also lost about XOF14 billion over a five-year period by suppressing some taxes and duties previously paid by businesses. This, the minister adds to exemptions set, but yet to be estimated, in the budget and investment code.

This is thus the price Togo had to pay to earn a better position in the 2020 Doing Business rankings (the country soared 40 places becoming Africa's top reformer this year). A worthy bargain it appears.

Séna Akoda

Nigeria has decided to keep its borders closed until the end of January 2020, Ecofin Agency reports citing a memo released at the end of the past week.

The document which was cited by Nigerian media The guardian indicates that "it is observed that despite the overwhelming success of the operation particularly the security and economic benefits to the nation, a few strategic objectives are yet to be achieved."

"Against this background, Mr. President has approved an extension of the exercise to January 31, 2020," it adds.

Let it be recalled that Nigeria had explained its decision to close its doors to its neighbors saying it aims to counter smuggling of food products, like rice (which is mainly imported through the border with its neighbor Benin).

Let's also stress that this is not the first time the closure date has been extended.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Last Friday, the Millenium Challenge Corporation (MCC) released its scorecard for 2020. On the latter, Togo has validated 14 out of the 20 indicators.

The assessment sums up in three categories, indicators validated by the 80 countries that adhere to the program. The categories are: Ruling justly, Economic freedom, and Investing in people.

Under the "Ruling justly" category, Togo validated four indicators which are control of corruption, freedom of information, rule of law, and civil liberties.

Under the "Investing in people" category, it validated the primary education expenditures, natural resource protection, and girls' primary education completion rate indicators.

Last is the Economic freedom category where Togo validated the fiscal policy, inflation, regulatory quality, gender in the economy, land rights and access, access to credit, and business start-up indicators.

Overall, Togo has for the fourth consecutive year met the Compact Programme's three eligibility criteria, knowingly control of corruption, validation of at least 50% of the scorecard (with at least one indicator validated under each category), and the validation of at least one democratic rights indicator.

Compared to 2014 where the country only validated five indicators, Togo's actual performance is a significant leap.

The scorecard is released as Togo prepares to launch the MCC Threshold Program with major investment focuses, ICT and land.

Séna Akoda

The French Development Agency (AFD) has granted Togo €15 million to support its education sector, in the framework of the Junior High School Reform Project -PAREC II.

The monies should help improve upon capacities and infrastructures in public junior high schools in the Maritime, Plateaux and Savanes regions. More than 160 schools should benefit from the scheme.

In effect, exactly 92 junior high schools will have new classrooms built while 75 will be modernized using the funds.

PAREC II is a project that will be deployed over a four-year period. It includes three main parts, knowingly the construction of 389 new classrooms with sanitary and administrative facilities, support for projects that foster an inclusive, safe and gender-sensitive schooling environment (for girls especially), as well as the reinforcement of capacities, across the whole nation, of nearly 4,000 school directors and teachers (volunteers and under contract).

The financing agreement was signed in Lomé on November 4, 2019. On Togo's side was Sani Yaya, minister of economy and finances, while the French party was represented by Marc Vizy, ambassador of France to Togo, and François Jacquier, AFD's country-director.

The first edition of the Private Sector Week was officially launched in Lomé on November 4, 2019. The theme of the event is Private sector, driver of socio-economic development and growth of Togo. Organized by the government and the private sector, it aims to review all concerns of private actors so as to enable them to fully play their part in the implementation of the national development plan (PND). The private sector, let's recall, is expected to contribute 65% of the funds needed for the plan.

In the framework of the gathering are planned top-level debates and panels hosted by eminent figures, from the government, resident-representatives of international organizations, heads of regional and national banks, heads of private sector organizations, and business leaders. Also scheduled are three open days for all private-public sectors.

Talks will revolve around promoting local consumption, formalizing informal businesses, access to financing for SMEs and SMIs, ZLECAF, disseminating entrepreneurs' success stories, training, employment and the role of digital technology in the promotion of the private sector.

Octave A. Bruce

On October 17, 2019, Joël Aboflan, Managing Director of Aldus Multi-Services, a Togolese institute that provides ICT training, signed with Guo Fan, CEO of Dafc Frameking Pictures, a Chinese broadcasting company, a memorandum of understanding.

Under the MoU, the Chinese firm committed to building in Togo an international film-making private university, the first of its kind to be built by China in Africa.
The university will have a shooting campus, a film and tv institute, a tourism park, multiple studios, a decoration area, an artificial desert, and river.

According to Guo Fan, each year, the university should attract 400,000 to 500,000 visitors, and offer training that should result in the creation of 700 direct jobs and 1,000 indirect ones.

Yesterday, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), World Bank's arm for the private sector, opened its offices in Togo. A headquarters agreement was signed the same day.
During the inauguration ceremony, the institution's Vice President for Africa and the Middle East, Sérgio Pimenta declared: "Togo is really the place where the private sector should come invest in Africa."
He added that "conditions in the country are encouraging for not only foreign private investors but for Togolese men and women enabling them to create their own jobs and businesses."
The ceremony was held in the presence of executives from the IFC, President Gnassingbé who chaired it, and top government officials. A tour of the building then followed.

Using PV solar panels, Togo could power 500,000 households. This was disclosed by Nouhou Amadou Seini, coordinator of the third zone of the Regional Off-grid Electrification Project (ROGEP).

This was at a meeting that is being held today in Lomé to restitute and validate a study assessing the off-grid PV solar market in Togo.

According to Nouhou Amadou, the 500,000 households are divided into three sub-categories: homes, public services (schools, health centres, etc.) and supply systems (water supply, mills, etc.).

The ROGEP, let's recall, is a project developed in 19 countries, including ECOWAS member States and four others namely, Mauritania, Chad, Cameroon and the Central African Republic. It is financed by the World Bank and aims at creating a regional market that will resolve the rural electrification issue, by allowing the private sector to produce small or large scale independent PV solar systems.

Another similar project is the CIZO which supplies power to more than 23,000 households, since Jule this year. By 2022, the latter aims to distribute 300,000 individual solar kits to two million Togolese.

Séna Akoda