At the ministers' council held last Wednesday, the government of Togo approved a new policy to improve the regulation of norms and quality. 

The National Quality Policy (PNQ in French) as it is called is a document that aims to put the quality and standards of local products on par with international requirements. It also should lead to the creation of an appropriate framework, to develop and run "an infrastructure of acceptable, pertinent and efficient quality." 

The new policy covers all development sectors and will focus on building a culture of quality at the levels of populations, and both public and private entities, while protecting the consumers and the environment, ensuring that local goods and services meet market standards. In the long run, it should help create a national system for measuring. 

Its adoption, let's emphasize, falls under a regional motion for the harmonization of quality. 

Production at the Nayega manganese mine should begin in Q1 2020 with a nominal capacity of 6,500 t per month, Ecofin Agency reports citing Keras Group which owns the mine through Société Générale des Mines (SGM), its subsidiary. 

The miner indeed announced last Wednesday that it is concluding with the Togolese ministry of mines the ancillary paperwork related to its operating permit for the Nayega project. This should be done by the end of the year. 

"Our strategy (...) has been validated, and without investing any further capital we can now transition from explorer to producer," said in this regard, Keras CEO Russel Lamming. 

Let it be recalled that the Togolese government had recently granted SGM a large-scale operating license for the Nayeya manganese deposit (Western Kpendjal prefecture). Exploration has revealed that the mine holds a reserve of nearly 8.5 million tons of manganese, for an estimated lifecycle of 15 years.  

On November 6, 2019, the National Social Security Fund (CNSS) launched a nationwide campaign to present its latest product, old-age insurance for all. 

The insurance targets mainly those operating in the informal sector, but "anyone can benefit from it, sellers, farmers, artisans, artists, anyone who works," said the institution. 

It comes in the form of a pension fund that the insured get at the end of their professional career. Through this initiative, the CNSS intends to provide a minimum pension for the insured's old days. 

The current campaign, beyond presenting the insurance, should serve as a medium to collect suggestions of informal actors themselves, so as to improve it and expand its impact. 

The Agou Holding Consortium will take 51% of TogoCom, the public holding which owns Togocel and Togo Telecom. 

The pan-African consortium, regrouping Axian Group and Emerging Capital Partner (ECP) should spend more than XOF100 billion for the stake. 

In effect, Agou Holding plans to invest XOF160 billion (about €250 million) in connectivity infrastructures, the deployment of fiber optics and 5G, among others, over the next seven years. 

"This is a major milestone," that aligns with the ambition of the Togolese government, according to Cina Lawson, minister of the digital economy, posts and technological innovations. "This important investment will drive the country's transformation and sustain our economic growth," declared, the minister of economy and finance, Sani Yaya, last Wednesday. 

Active in the Indian Ocean where it is the largest telecom operator, Axian was recently part of the consortium behind the switch from Tigo to Free in Senegal. 

ECP for its part was already present in Togo through Oragroup (Lomé-based banking group) and Eranove which currently builds Lomé's second power plant. 

The Ministry of grassroots development has launched a new incubator for local startups, through the Youth Economic Initiatives Support Fund (FAIEJ).
Named Nunya Lab, the incubator was officially launched last Tuesday, by the minister of grassroots development and youth, Victoire Tomegah-Dogbé. The infrastructure is estimated to have cost more than XOF25 million.

Its purpose is to "support the creation of innovative projects and enable the optimization of the potential for job and wealth creation," incubate innovative projects, and accelerate ongoing projects.

The center is also to serve as a place where young Togolese innovators can conduct experiments, test prototypes, receive advices, coaching and tutoring from more experienced professionals, before the effective launch of their product or service.

Let's indicate that the project was financially, and technically, backed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), with the expertise of Kigali-based incubator K-LAB.

In Togo, the Industry Professions Training Center (CFMI) trains 70% of the youth hired by local firms. This was revealed by Laurent Tamegnon, chairman of the national council of employers -CNP.

This center aligns the government's ambition to create 500,000 jobs in the country by 2022, Tamegnon declared last Monday during a panel on challenges faced by the private sector, which are hampering the implementation of the 2018-2022 national development plan (PND).

Using performant equipment and machinery, the CFMI provides training in the five following sectors: diesel mechanics, metalwork - welding - industrial piping, mechanical maintenance, electromechanical maintenance, industrial refrigeration, and air-conditioning. The training center thus tackles the training-employment imbalance which is often referred to in explaining unemployment of young graduates.

Another good news for the CFMI is that it has recently signed an agreement with Niger's Water Company (SEEN), subsidiary of French group Veolia, to train its staff in diesel mechanics.

Séna Akoda

From December 2 to 7, 2019, Lomé will host the 55th council of member states of the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO).

The information was disclosed yesterday during a conference organized by the ministry of environment and sustainable development.

About 300 participants are expected at this event and on this occasion, various projects should be submitted for funding, according to David Wonou Olatokoun, minister of environment.

Regarding actions undertaken by Togo relative to forest preservation, there is the project for the reinforcement of wildfires prevention and participative management system in Togo, the project for the production and supply of clonal varieties of teak, or the project supporting the sustainable management of the Fosse aux Lions classified forest in the Savanes region. Estimated funds invested in these projects stand at $1.9 million according to reliable sources.