After examination classes, universities and other tertiary education institutions should soon reopen in Togo. 

The matter was discussed last Wednesday during a meeting between the Prime Minister, Komi Klassou, and directors of public and private universities of the country. 

The learning institutions, the talks concluded, will resume activity in a limited manner; to minimize physical contact between students. Public universities have agreed on allowing only a third of students to enroll for classes, said Komla Sanda, chairman of the University of Kara in the northern part of the country.  

Physical classes will be for project work and extremely technical lectures, in addition to online lectures. Other precautionary measures include an alternate system between major faculties. 

Three months left

Officials indicated that under acceptable conditions, it should take three months for the academic year to close. Regarding examinations, they said, some may be organized online, but for the most part, students will be taking them in person. 

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

After making mask-wearing compulsory in the country, Togolese authorities said those who do not comply with safety measures could face sanctions. 

The government warned that any such person could pay a fine that ranges between XOF3,000 and XOF20,000, or even a worse sanction - XOF50,000 and between one and six months of prison - if the offense is repeated. 

Regarding companies, associations, and other organizations that do not follow the imposed safety measures, they could pay a fine ranging between XOF500,000 and XOF2 million. Depending on the severity of the offense, the fine could be set to up to XOF5 million, the firm could be closed temporarily, or suffer both sanctions. 

Also, vehicle owners who fail to comply with these measures could have their vehicle seized and have it returned only after paying a predefined fine. 

Séna Akoda

British carmaker Morris Garage (MG) will start operations in Togo on July 15, 2020. The firm signed a partnership agreement in this framework with Diwa International, the car dealer founded by Togolese businessman Jonas Aklessou Daou who also heads Sodigaz. 

MG will offer various types of cars including its RX5 model, which is a modern SUV. “We have the ideal offers for professional, family, and luxury cars. With our comfortable, modern, and spacious models, we are ready to give the best to the Togolese market, in terms of driving experience and customer satisfaction,” said Pascal Djondo, deputy managing director, Diwa International. 

The carmaker’s decision to come to Lomé aligns with its expansion strategy in Africa. In Togo, it will be disputing market shares with CFAO Motors, Hyundai, and countless used car sellers. Its new partner, Diwa International started operations in 2018, selling CHEVROLET and ISUZU cars. 

In Africa, Morris Garage already operates in Benin, Burkina Faso, and Niger. 

Séna Akoda

Last year, Togo imported 159,702 bottles of champagne (of 75 cl) for more than €3.1 million. 

In West Africa, the country was the third-largest importer of champagne over the period reviewed. First was Nigeria with 569,440 bottles imported (€18,153,942) and Côte d’Ivoire with 348,955 bottles (€5,935,560). 

Behind Togo were Ghana, which imported 102,070 bottles (€2,808,685), Benin (83,599 bottles for €656,944), Burkina Faso (59,355 bottles for €1,285,067), and Senegal (€52,364 bottles for €975,817). 

Across the continent, South Africa is the largest consumer with over a million bottles purchased in 2019 - up by 1.6% compared to the previous year. 

The figures, reported by the Ecofin Agency, were published by the Comité Champagne which is a trade organization that manages the common interests of ‘vignerons’ and champagne houses. 

Let it be noted that overall, African nations imported more than 3 million bottles of champagne last year. These cost around €89.85 million. 

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Top champagne importers in Africa 

On July 7, 2020, the French Development Agency (AFD) and the Banque Ouest-Africaine de Développement (BOAD) inked two financing agreements worth a total of €175 million (or XOF115 billion). The funds are to make the WAEMU states more resilient to the Covid-19 and climate change. 

According to a related statement, the first agreement, for €100 million, “will help the regional lender in its actions to tackle the pandemic. It will help finance responses of the WAEMU member states, in line with an initiative carried out by the BOAD, the BCEAO, and the WAEMU Commission.”

As part of this initiative, “a low-cost emergency loan of XO15 billion has been made available for each member state (thus making a total of XOF120 billion for the union)”, the statement further indicates. Part of the money will also be used to support the private sector in its investments aimed at fostering economic recovery in the region. 

Regarding the second agreement, it combines a €75 million credit line and a subsidy of €600,000. Both facilities should enable the adoption of resilient, low-carbon, economic models across the WAEMU. However, the credit line will specifically finance projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions (25% of the loan), and help the most vulnerable populations in the region adapt to climate change’s consequences (75%).

Séna Akoda

In Togo, the PAEIJ-SP, which fosters the creation of jobs for the youth and their professional insertion into promising sectors wants to turn 2,3000 farmers associations into cooperative societies. 

The farmers concerned by the related project work in the organic soybean and maize sectors. Through the initiative, the government wishes to turn the farmers into true entrepreneurs. Through this transition, they will be backed by technicians trained recently for this purpose.  

In effect, the technicians’ mission is to coach 34,000 first-time entrepreneurs towards establishing cooperative societies. The entrepreneurs will learn how to create and run cooperative societies, setting up offices, management committees, etc. 

Séna Akoda

In 2019, Togo produced nearly 800,000 tons of phosphate (799,775 t), according to data gathered by the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO). The volume, the apex lender said, is 21.5% lower compared to the 1.02 million tons produced the year before.  

Though relatively stable over the past decade, the country’s phosphate output recorded some lows in the last five years; especially in 2016 and 2017 where the volumes stood at 843,000 t and 732,500 t, respectively, compared to 1.15 million t and 1.02 million t in 2015 and 2018. 

These performances, it must be noted, are far below those recorded in previous decades, with an average of about 2 million tons in the 90s (almost 3 million tons in 1991 alone), and 1 million tons in the 2000-2010 decade.

The government’s financial support to private teachers as schools remain closed (apart from examination classes) because of the Covid-19 pandemic has been extended to volunteer teachers. 

According to a statement released on the presidency’s official portal, the volunteers benefit, since June 27, from a State subsidy to help them cope as the pandemic persists. 

Overall, around 130,000 volunteers (10,753 teaching in primary schools and 1,860 in secondary schools) will receive cash transfers through the Novissi solidarity program. Women will get XOF24,500 each and men XOF21,000.  

Further steps are taken to enable all actors concerned to receive the money which was promised by the government a few weeks ago.

So far, Togo is relatively spared by the Covid-19 pandemic, with little impact on the country’s agricultural output and food security. This was disclosed in a country note recently released by the general directorate of the French treasury. 

The document highlights the steps taken by the Togolese government to rapidly contain the outbreak; the country's important grain reserves, as well as its status as a fruit exporter. All these, according to the French treasury, protect Togo from experiencing food insecurity induced by the pandemic.

Rapid measures

On June 11, 2020, Togo had 524 active Covid-19 cases (62 cases per million citizens), 13 deaths, 271 recoveries, and about 2,900 tests per million citizens. These were among the best rates across the region. There was also the Novissi program which aimed to support the poorest households by cash transfers every month throughout the emergency state. 

Indeed, the country has 70,000 tons of grains stocked (about 10 kg per citizen) that are managed by the national agency for food security (ANSAT); and an additional reserve of 5,000 tons of other food products. 

Meanwhile, the ministry of agriculture recently launched its very own response to the Covid-19. The latter integrates various actions aimed at supporting farmers towards boosting the country’s output for this year. 

Preserving the poorest people and the business climate

Lower imports, inflation in the prices of some products, and an overall reduction of households’ stocks are the main repercussions of the pandemic. However, beyond the economy slowing down and pressure on businesses and consumers, the lasting effects of the pandemic were mitigated by the government’s rapid action to protect the poorest populations and the business climate as a whole. 

Informal transport routes: Blessing or curse? 

From March to May, all Togolese borders were shut and some cities were placed under lockdown. Still, people and goods were coming in and going out of the country as new transportation routes were found. 

“Informal transportation networks across borders reorganized themselves. Major road axes and police roadblocks are bypassed via routes that connect various goods rallying points, using bikes, bicycles, pirogues, or by foot.” 

While this has sustained goods transportation in the country (outside of official circuits), it has nonetheless caused the number of Covid-19 cases recorded by Togo to rise (especially cases coming from Ghana and going to the northern part of the country). 

It is now time to reopen the economy and gradually return to normalcy. A return that is impaired by the recent peak in infections after a period of stability. Regardless, the numbers registered in Togo are far below that of its neighbors. 

Ayi Renaud Dossavi