Togo First
CFAO and Toyota to help Togo digitalize its public administration faster and boost use of renewable energy
CFAO Group and its mother company Toyota will support Togo in its process to digitalize administration and achieve transition to renewable energies.
On the sidelines of the seventh international Tokyo Conference on African Development (TICAD 7), Togo’s minister of digital economy, Cina Lawson, said a memorandum of understanding has been signed between the two firms in this regard.
According to the official, the decision of CFAO and Toyota aims at making Togo’s public administration more efficient through digital technologies and also make the country itself a leader, in terms of development and exploitation of clean power.
CFAO, let’s recall, is already active on the Carrier Hotel project in Lomé and has also helped the nation establish its first-ever IXP. This partnership aligns with the government’s efforts to reinforce its digital industry, through the E-gouv project namely.
In regards to renewables promotion, Togo is presently a member of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) and has initiated CIZO, a rural electrification scheme under which solar kits are provided to households all over the country. An initiative that is in line with Togo’s goal to make renewables contribute to 50% of its energy mix by 2030.
Séna Akoda
Togo-Ghana Maritime Border Dispute: Could an amicable resolution be nearing?
Ghana and Togo are on the right track to settle their dispute over their maritime border. This is suggested by conclusions of the fifth round of talks between the two countries in this regard, held last week in Accra.
According to Stanislas Baba (photo), President of Togo’s High Maritime Council, the meeting in Accra helped exchange on technical data and transitory measures to resolve the issue of maritime border delineation between Togo and Ghana.
“Between coming September 10 and 20, technical teams from both sides are to meet to complete the task,” he added.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
MIFA: 1500 kg of beeswax sold to US firm Koster Keunen
Recently, 1,500kg of beeswax, produced by local beekeeping cooperatives, was sold to Koster Keunen West Africa (KKWA).
The transaction, worth a little more than XOF5 million, is the fruit of a partnership agreement signed six months ago by MIFA SA, Togo’s national beekeeping association, and US Group Koster Keunen which specializes in the production of natural ingredients for the cosmetics, pharmaceutical and agro-food industries.
The volume recently sold to KKWA is only 42% of the expected quantities for this year, under the agreement (Togolese beekeepers agreed to deliver 3.5 tons per year).
Still under the deal, MIFA SA should facilitate the supply of beeswax from Togolese producers to the American firm, over four years.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
IFC exits Ecobank’s shareholding, sells its stake to Arise BV
The International Finance Corporation has completed the sale of its 14.1% stake in Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI) to Africa-focused Investment Fund Arise BV (“Arise”).
“This transaction with ETI will see Arise collaborate with Ecobank to advance financial inclusion on the continent,” commented Deepak Malik, Chief Executive Officer of Arise.
As for the World Bank’s private sector arm, the exit falls in line with its “ordinary asset portfolio rotation.”
Arise BV thus joins in Ecobank’s shareholding the Qatar National Bank, the South African Public Investment Corporation and Nedbank (from South Africa also). This, in a context where the pan-African group tries to regain the trust of its shareholders.
Indeed, this is the second consecutive year where Ecobank has not paid dividends. The group, whose returns remain weak, still recovers from the 2014 drop in oil prices which highly impacted Nigeria, its largest market.
BBOXX, active on CIZO project, raises $50M from Mitsubishi and others for its expansion
BBOXX, the first operator active on the CIZO project in Togo, just raised $50 million at the TICAD VII.
Most of the funds raised came from Japanese giant Mitsubishi with other investors including ENGIE’s arm promoting access to sustainable energy, the Luxembourg-based investor Bamboo Capital Partners, DOEN participaties and Mackinnon, and BENNETT & Company.
The monies will be used by the British firm to continue its global expansion in Africa where it operates in 12 countries at the moment, and Asia.
According to BBOXX’s CEO, Mansoor Hamayun (photo), Mitsubishi’s investment reflects Japan’s interest in Africa and for Pay-as-you-go (PAYG) solar energy as well.
BBOXX Togo has since 2018 provided more than 8,000 households with solar kits. It should be noted that half of the firm’s stakes is held by EDF.
Séna Akoda
World Bank renews support to Togo's national reform plan
The World Bank’s country office in Togo has renewed its support to the government’s national reform plan. This was yesterday in Lomé, during a review of all reforms implemented by the country at end-June 2019
After it said it is satisfied by reforms implemented, knowingly the adoption of a new tax code, the operationalization of Lomé’s court of commerce, the reinforcement of the statistics system or the first budget orientation debate, the Bretton Woods institution has announced a new battery of budgetary supports for Togo.
The reforms implemented by the government, let it be noted, helped make the country’s business environment more attractive.
According to Thierry Yogo, who spoke on behalf of the World Bank’s country representative in Togo, Hawa Cissé Wagué, the review “helps assess progress made with the reforms, but also identifies their weaknesses and strengths and recommends corrective measures.” Then, lauding the authorities’ efforts, he added: “The new budgetary support will surely help consolidate realizations achieved over the past two years and accelerate reforms already engaged to improve public management and make the health sector more viable, financially.”
From 2017 to 2018, the World Bank spent $92 million to support Togo’s reforms.
Séna Akoda
Customs of Togo, Burkina Faso and Niger ink agreement to interconnect their IT systems
Customs offices of Togo, Burkina Faso and Niger signed last Friday in Ouagadougou a memorandum of understanding to enact the interconnection of their IT systems.
Representing Togo at the signing was Atta Kwawo Essien, Head of Regional Customs Operations at the Togolese Revenue Office (OTR). This signing falls in the framework of the establishment of the Interconnected System for the Management of Goods in Transit (SIGMAT) started last March 22.
The project aims at simplifying transit at the three neighbors’ borders. Concretely, once a truck set to reach Niger or Burkina Faso is declared in Lomé, related information will be shared between customs offices of the two concerned locations (origin and destination). According to website Sidwaya.info, which cites Burkina Faso’s customs, SIGMAT should be operational “latest” by next October 1st.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
Seventh Tokyo International Conference on African Development, TICAD VII, begins
The opening ceremony for the 7th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 7) just took place in Yokohama, Japan.
The theme of this edition is: “Advancing Africa’s Development through People, Technology and Innovation.” The president of Togo, Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, is at the event with a delegation. The latter organized last Monday, a business forum with actors of the Japanese private sector where they were presented opportunities Togo has to offer, in terms of investment.
The following day, President Gnassingbé met with top executives of Mitsubishi who were recently in Togo and expressed their interest in the Togolese power sector, especially in the CIZO project.
At the TICAD 7, the “Yokohama declaration” and a related action plan for its implementation should be adopted.
The event, according to its organizers, should gather more than 4,500 participants.
Séna Akoda
Togo: Ministry of security opens hot line to denounce corrupt security forces
From now on, any person asked for bribes or mistreated by security forces or aware of a criminal act can denounce it through a dedicated hot line. The corresponding number to call in such cases is 1014.
This measure, announced last Monday, by the ministry of security, aims at tackling corruption, incivism, and criminality, by ensuring that appropriate actions are taken immediately.
Let’s recall, the High Authority for Prevention and Fight against Corruption and Related Offenses (HAPLUCIA) had also recently opened a hot line (8277) serving the same purpose.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
Togo : Contour Global shares its expertise with local actors of renewable sector
Yesterday in Lomé, Contour Global’s Togolese branch shared its expertise and offers on renewables with various actors of this sector in Togo, during a roundtable.
In Togo, the firm has a 100MW natural gas-fired power plant. However, it also operates in Italy, Peru, Brazil, Austria and Bulgaria in wind, solar, and hypower plants.
The firm has decided to invest in the West African country in line with its desire to contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi