Togo First
Togo is again among the top 10 countries most open to Africans in 2019 (AfDB)
Once again, Togo is among the top 10 countries most open to other African citizens. This is revealed in the latest update of the Africa Visa Openness report 2019 released yesterday at the Africa Investment Forum organized by the African Development Plan (AfDB).
According to the document, for the first time since 2016, Africans have free access to 51% of the continent. In detail, they no more need a visa to visit 25% of its countries (25% in 2018, 22% in 2017, 20% in 2016), and get visa on arrival in 26% of the other countries with no visa-free policy (against 24% in 2018 and 2017, and 25% in 2016).
According to the AfDB, "moving forward, championing greater visa openness across Africa will help to capitalize on the gains to be realized from the launch of the African Continental Free Trade Area, the Single African Air Transport Market and the Protocol on the Free Movement of Persons." These are all initiatives that Togo adheres to.
Regardless of its efforts relative to visa openness, Lomé still has more to do to stand on par with others such as Benin, where all Africans can come visa-free, or Seychelles, Rwanda, Senegal, and Ghana. Most of these countries have launched an e-Visa platform.
Let's also indicate that citizens from non-ECOWAS countries, with the exception of one, can get a visa on their arrival in Togo.
Togo: In a year of activity, the Gozem app has been downloaded more than 250,000 times on Google Playstore
Public transport startup Gozem celebrates this month, a year of activity in Togo. The firm, founded by Nigerian Emeka Ajene, claims more than 250,000 downloads on the Google Playstore and thousands of customers and drivers.
This performance is attributable to the security and reliability the startup provides. The firm uses taxi-bikes, taxi-cars, and tricycles to provide its services.
Gozem offers insurance, through a partnership with Ogar Assurances, as well as emergency support via Togo Assistance, in the event of fatal accidents.
"Gozem is proud to close its first year in Lomé with very encouraging figures. We wish to grow much faster next year while making the Gozem service more easy to access and professional," declared Jean-Martial Moulaud, Country Manager of Gozem Togo.
Let's recall that the startup recently expanded to Benin.
Séna Akoda
Togo: KFB Group and MIFA team up to support agricultural entrepreneurs interested in mechanizing their operations
In partnership with the Agricultural Financing Incentive Mechanism (MIFA), KFB Group now provides support to entrepreneurs who wish to acquire agricultural machinery (tractors, seeders, harvesters, trailers, etc.).
All Togolese aged between 21 and 41 years, holding at least a Junior High School certificate (BEPC) or equivalent, can benefit from the support, "provided they are engaged in the creation and management of an agricultural business."
Another requirement is that the "entrepreneur should be ready to formally register their business."
Togo: Minister of youth on a tour to review progress made relative to the PAEIJ-SP
Today, Victoire Sidemeho Tomegah-Dogbe, minister of youth, has begun a two-day tour to review progress made relative to the Project Supporting the Employment and Insertion of Youth in Promising Sectors (PAEIJ-SP).
The operation covers the coastal and plateaux regions and will enable the minister and the team that coordinates the project to gather feedback from the project's beneficiaries. This would help them identify keys to their success as well as challenges the project faces.
Subsequently, it will be amended if required to ensure optimal impact.
Some of the firms which the minister and her delegation will meet include AGROKOM, GOLD FOOD AFRICA, VIOTO BUSINESS, and AUDELA.
Let's recall that in February 2018, XOF360 million of loans had been provided by two processing firms and four aggregators while XOF48 million were provided to farmers' associations and primary producers.
Séna Akoda
Togo: XOF1.2 billion to be spent on various projects aimed at tackling coastal erosion issues
A total of XOF1.2 billion will be spent on 11 community projects benefiting populations that are often exposed to coastal erosion issues.
Among others, the projects will cover sustainable land management and the rehabilitation of small public infrastructures damaged by floods.
The related financing agreement was signed at the end of last week, by the minister of environment, sustainable development and preservation of nature, Oladokoun David Wonou.
The facility falls in line with the West Africa Coast Resilience Investment Project (WACA, RESIP). In the latter's framework, Togo is backed by the World Bank and the Global Environment Fund (GEF).
CERGI SA adds BOA-Togo and African Lease Togo to its client portfolio
Lomé-based banking management software developer CERGI Banking has added two new banks operating in Togo to its customers. These are Bank of Africa (BOA) and African Lease Togo (ALT) which operate on the leasing and factoring segment.
BOA-Togo reached out to CERGI Banking to handle the automated deliverance of all its regulatory statements to the BCEAO. The second operator, ALT, signed with the software developer an agreement under which it is to fully handle its Automated Clearing House. The two agreements were inked last month. Just like another with Bridge Bank Group, based in Abidjan, which tasked CERGI Banking with producing its reporting statements on a consolidated basis.
Let's note CERGI has been operating in Togo and the West African region since 1991. The firm currently works with about 40 banks and lending institutions.
Togo: DOSI launches open houses dedicated to informal actors
The Informal Sector Organization's Delegation (DOSI) holds, starting today, Open Houses across the whole country.
To take place in capital districts (Dapaong, Kara, Sokodé, Atakpamé, Kpalimé, Tsévié, and Lomé) specifically, the open houses aim at better informing informal operators of DOSI's existence and services.
"The event should cover topics such as requirements to meet to receive an entrepreneurship training, support for creating a business, support for getting administrative documents," declared Mazmessoh Assih, State Secretary in charge of Financial inclusion and the Informal Sector.
The open houses should begin in Dapaong.
Séna Akoda
WAEMU: The rail loop project will cost more than CFA4,000 billion
Beyond CFA4,000 billion. That is how much studies and construction works for the rail loop, that will connect WAEMU States, will cost.
This was revealed last Thursday in Abidjan, by Paul Koffi Koffi, the commissioner in charge of community land-use planning and transports within WAEMU. This was during a meeting regrouping ministers of transport of the union.
According to the Ivorian commissioner, the infrastructure should help boost trade between concerned States (currently at 12%-14% only), lower costs of transportation, and make these countries more competitive, in regards to international trade.
Let's recall that this major project should connect five West African capitals (Abidjan-Ouagadougou-Niamey-Cotonou -Lomé), and span 3,034 km, including 1,946 km that is to be rehabilitated and 1,088 km to be built.
Togo: Dangote inks two major deals with the government to invest in the cement and phosphate sectors
Nigerian mogul Aliko Dangote has signed two major deals with Togo, both amounting to a total of $2.060 billion. The agreements were signed by Dangote and Togo's minister of mines, Marc Ably-Bidamon
The first deal which corresponds to an investment of about $2 billion will focus on valorizing and transforming Togolese phosphate in phosphate fertilizers for export across West Africa. This project should be launched by Dangote Industries Limited before the year ends, according to a release from the Togolese Presidency's Information and Communication Directorate.
The second deal, an investment of $60 million, concerns the construction of a new cement factory in Togo. The facility should produce 1.5 million tons of cement using Togolese and Nigerian clinker. The output will satisfy both the local demand and that of neighboring countries. Five hundred jobs will be created under this project.
With the new cement plant, which is expected to come online by the end of the coming year, Togo will be having four cement producers. The other three are HeidelbergCement (CIMTOGO active in Lomé and Kara), WACEM and Diamond Cement.
Séna Akoda
Togo: Lomé will host the first edition of its Young Entrepreneurs Fair, on Nov 15-16, 2019
Next November 15 and 16, Lomé will host the first edition of its Young Entrepreneurs Fair.
Placed under the theme "Entrepreneurship: How to move from dreams to reality?" this fair will be held at Canal Olympia Godopé. It aims to boost entrepreneurship by showcasing opportunities for business in the digital and new technology sector, marketing and communication, culture, agro-food, energy, and training.
Those with projects will also attend training workshops on this occasion. These will include teaching them techniques to elaborate on a business model, and how to establish a business network for startups and project carriers seeking financing.
The fair will enable experience sharing between the young entrepreneurs, with various success-stories shared, all in order to motivate the youth to follow the same steps.