Togo’s water utility, Société Togolaise des Eaux (TDE), has launched an international tender to purchase equipment it needs for expanding its infrastructure network.

Firms eligible to bid must specialize in the manufacturing and sale of equipment such as connection tools, spare parts, and water meters which the TDE seeks. 

The tender notice was issued a few days after public authorities announced a project with an estimated cost of XOF700 million aimed at improving access to water in these neighborhoods of Lomé: Bè, Nyékonakpoè, Kodjoviakopé, Kégué, and Hédzranawoé.  

Séna Akoda

Last week, the Higher authority for the prevention and fight against corruption and related offenses (HAPLUCIA) met with actors engaged in the fight against corruption. The theme of the meeting was “Fighting corruption via efficient and effective legal systems.” 

The meeting, organized on the 4th African Anti-Corruption day, was opened by Pius Agbétomey, Togo’s minister of justice. 

On the occasion, participants lauded the government’s efforts to effectively implement the Maputo pan-African convention (a treaty adopted on August 5, 2006, aimed at fostering good economic and financial governance in Africa). Also, they stressed that corruption participates greatly in the worsening of Africa’s debt and its slow economic progress. 

The minister of justice then recalled reforms initiated by Togo regarding good governance saying that over the past two decades, the country has shown commitment in implementing measures suggested in anti-corruption pan-African and international texts.

To hasten their economic recovery, post-Covid-19, West African nations should rely on their youth. The statement was made by the African Development Bank in its recent regional economic outlook for 2020. 

In the report, the institution said “West Africa’s burgeoning youth population offers a strategic workforce which can be harnessed for employment and economic growth, despite a COVID-19 pandemic that is devastating the continent and global economies.” 

The Pan-African entity added that “as a result of the pandemic, growth in the West African region, which was poised to expand by 4.0 percent in 2020, following growth of 3.6% in 2019, is now projected to contract by -2.0 percent in 2020, and could fall by as much as -4.3 percent in a worst-case scenario.” 

While it is clear that oil and tourism-dependent economies will suffer the crisis the most, with their export revenues falling, it is also the case for tax revenues whose fall will cut budgetary margins, and therefore deepen imbalances of external accounts. The latter will in turn cause public debt to soar. 

According to the AfDB, Africa could lose as much as $236.7 billion of cumulative GDP, in 2020-2021.

Investing in human capital 

To tap into the potential of the youth, the pan-African bank recommends measures aimed at improving their skills, thus developing a more competent labor force in West Africa. Also, according to the lender, West African governments should accelerate improvements in digital infrastructure, put in place incentives to encourage private investments in skills development, and ramp up public spending in education to enhance skills of the region’s labor market. 

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Last year, youth and female entrepreneurs won around XOF30 billion of public contracts. This is compared to 12 billion the year before - which was the first year the Togolese government made effective its decision to set aside 20% of all its contracts to this group of entrepreneurs. 

The figure was disclosed recently by the minister of youth, Victoire Tomégah-Dogbé, in a Facebook live. On the same occasion, she lauded a greater consumption of made in Togo products across the country and the improvements in the quality and packaging of these products. She also noted the government’s commitment to supporting young entrepreneurs. 

Let it be recalled that from 20% initially, the quota of public contracts reserved for young and women entrepreneurs was raised to 25% in 2019. 

Séna Akoda

In the framework of the first edition of The Nest Afrique Francophone contest, Paul Harry Aithnard, regional director of Ecobank, announced the bank’s commitment to financially back 20 bankable projects identified by its relationship management team. 

The 20 projects concerned fall under the second edition of a pro-entrepreneurship investment program led by Reckya Madougou’s think tank. For the first edition of this program, 3 finalists were selected and secured the support of business angels. 

Aithnard, it should be emphasized, promised to personally coach and mentor selected entrepreneurs, helping them grow their potential. Those with projects in the digital and agricultural sectors will be favored. 

Séna Akoda

Togocom, the former public telecom operator, is the new official sponsor of Togo’s Football Federation (FTF). The two parties signed the related partnership agreement yesterday, July 14th. 

The two partners “will combine their forces and resources to better support local teams in scouting for young talented players.” Moreover, they intend to help players “exceed their limits and set new records” at major competitions such as the African Cup of Nations (AFCON), the CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN), as well as accelerate the professionalization of women’s football.  

Regarding Togocom, the historical operator was acquired a few months ago by the Axian group and Emerging Capital Partners. 

Séna Akoda

Togo’s leading uber-like company Gozem has announced it would extend its offer to move-in tricycles.    

The vehicles can be used to move luggage or goods. In effect, the customer or user can request a tricycle on the Gozem app. Next, the driver comes and takes goods from point A to point B. 

Commenting on the innovation, Jean-Martial Moulaud, country manager for Gozem Togo, said: “We are happy to continue providing solutions to the various challenges faced by the Togolese people regarding transportation. This new service meets a growing demand in Lomé and Gozem is proud to help Togolese citizens meet their needs in terms of transport and logistics.” 

The startup, besides Togo, also operates in Benin, among others. 

Séna Akoda

It is official. All tertiary education institutions (private and public) have been allowed to resume, partially, starting from July 15. 

“The schools must strictly respect safety measures, social distancing most importantly,” the government stressed while giving its approval for the resumption of classes. 

The teaching institutions which were closed for four months after the pandemic broke out in Togo have been allowed to receive only one-third of their students. 

Let’s recall that a few weeks ago, primary and secondary schools (examination classes primarily) resumed and should soon proceed to final examinations. 

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

In 2019, 95,113 people traveled between Togo and France by air. The figure which was recently disclosed by the head office of the French civil aviation is nearly 3% more than that recorded the previous year. 

In West Africa, Togo comes ahead of Benin (93,415 passengers in 2019), Burkina Faso (78,365), Niger (46,607), and Ghana (57,503). However, it is behind Senegal (which recorded a whopping 461,065 passengers), Côte d’Ivoire (423,063), Mali (215,150), and Nigeria (181,761). 

Across the continent, north Africa recorded the most passengers coming from and going to France. In the region, Morocco recorded the highest number - 6.89 million passengers - followed by Algeria and Tunisia (with 4.35 million and 3.45 million passengers respectively). 

Worldwide, Africa was the second destination that recorded the greatest number of passengers going and coming from France. The African continent recorded 20.54 million passengers in 2019. However, it was far behind Europe which recorded 94.52 million passengers. 

The figures reflect relatively healthy air traffic for last year before the coronavirus erupted this year hitting the sector strongly. 

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

The European Union (EU) and Investisseurs & Partenaires (I&P), an impact investment group focused on sub-Saharan Africa, will support 300 startups and SMEs in 13 Sahel countries, Togo included.

This will be done via the I&P Acceleration and Sahel initiative. The latter benefits from a €15.5 million financing from the EU through its Emergency Fiduciary Fund for Africa which helps businesses in the region grow and expand. 

The initiative will take into consideration difficulties caused by the Covid-19 crisis. In this regard, I&P commented, “a substantial part of the program’s budget will be specially set aside to help firms that are most affected by the crisis.” 

In the short term, around 15 firms will receive financial and technical support, enabling them to adapt and re-adjust their business model, sustain activity, and overcome the crisis, I&P added. 

The program was conceived around three complementary axes: seed funding (to help businesses meet their financial needs during their incubation or expansion phase), technical assistance (to boost capacities of African businesses and investment groups), and supporting entrepreneurs in countries of intervention. 

Countries that will benefit from the initiative are Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Gambia, Guinea, Ghana, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Chad, Togo, and Senegal. 

Ayi Renaud Dossavi