Whilst the banking sector in Togo is showing interest in promoting renewable energy and protecting the environment, the local subsidiary of Oragroup is the first to truly commit to a transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy.

The banking institution plans to deploy, at its Lomé-based headquarters, a PV system of 400 MW under a construction deal signed with Otamari. The project has a double-target which includes the implementation of a sun-powered autonomous energy production source and a gradual migration towards green energy.

Otamari group will be joined on this project by its German partner Solar3. Under its transition move, Orabank-Togo has already installed a 20 KW PV system at its Tsevie branch (36 km from Lomé via the national road 1).

Let’s note that Orabank’s migration to green power falls in line with the law promoting the production of energy based on renewable energies in Togo.

Séna Akoda

A delegation of Togolese ministers recently visited the site for the construction of the Kpendjal bridge in the Savanes region. The infrastructure which is 45% completed will help boost trade between Togo, its neighbors, Benin and Burkina Faso.

The bridge aims at opening up the Kpendjal community, whose inhabitants mostly live on commercial husbandry and farming, to the countries mentioned earlier.

With a length of 180 m, the infrastructure crosses the Kpendjal River and costs CFA17.5 billion.  

Séna Akoda

The West African Development Bank (BOAD) is organizing in Lomé a five-day workshop on new procedures relating to the provision of public procurements to economic actors in Togo.

The workshop aims at “helping actors concerned by public procurements to get more acquainted with these new tools”, says Christophe AGUESSY, special advisor at the BOAD. This would according to him “increase funds disbursed for projects financed by the BOAD in Togo”.

In detail, participants will be taught about instructions relative to procurement provision, related documentation, as well as policies preventing and tackling fraud and corruption.

Let’s recall that the BOAD invests in various sectors across its member states, especially in agriculture, telecommunications, road, port and airport infrastructures. In 2018, it provided Togo CFA682 billions worth of financing.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

China will be giving Masters and Phd scholarships to Togolese students during the 2019-2020 period. The information was revealed by the country’s Office of Scholarships and Internships (DBS).

Eligible candidates must have a “six-semester bachelor's degree and a four-semester masters degree”. “Applicants interested in a masters degree must not be more than 25 years old while those interested in Phd must be 30 years old at most”.

Top priority areas are sciences and technology, health, IT, agriculture, management and economy.

Also, applicants who have already taken a Chinese course at the Confucius institute of the Lomé University, will be given priority.

Applications must, strictly, be submitted at the DBS, between February 4 and 8, 2019.

DBS is in charge of implementing foreign and local scholarships policies. It is under the authority of the ministry of higher education and research.  

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Coris Bank International Togo (CBI-Togo) just got an ISO-9001-2015 certification under the serial number FS 703571. This certification, the first obtained by a bank in the country, rewards Coris for the good quality of its management.

Delivered by London-based British Standard Institution (BSI), the certification “attests of the commitment of CBI-Togo to improving its processes and services in order to satisfy its customers and other relevant parties”, CBI-Togo’s management reveals.

Before the banking sector, in the telecom sector, Togocel, public mobile operator secured end-2016 two certifications for promoting eco-friendly solutions: ISO 9001-2015 and ISO 14001-2015.

Other entities also include the High School of Business (ESA), a tertiary education institute which got the ISO 9001-2015 certification, and the national civil aviation (ANAC-Togo). The latter is the first African agency to secure an ISO 9001-2015 certification from Bureau Veritas.

Séna Akoda

Togo Telecom will get its license renewed. The decision was approved during the recent council of ministers held last Wednesday, under its second decree. Approbation decree for the license’s renewal will be signed by the ministers of posts and digital economy.

This decision (license renewal) falls under the “opening of capital of Togocom Group” (product of the merger between Togo Telecom and Togocel), which is fully owned by the State. The goal is to improve the group’s visibility, in order to “boost trust of the strategic investor selected during the tender”, the council’s statement indicates. 

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

From January 28 to 30, 2019, Guinea Conakry hosted the West Africa regional meeting of the Africa Renewable Energy Initiative (AREI). Abass Aboulaye, Togo’s director of energy, represented his country at the event.

At this occasion, the AfDB which organized the meeting presented to participants available financing tools revolving around climate or energy, especially in regards to access to sustainable energy for all.

The pan-African bank reaffirmed its support to actors involved in the various African initiatives aiming at ensuring the continent’s energetic transition. In line with the meeting’s goals, the bank urges concerned actors to strive towards an even development of renewables and better access to sustainable energy for all.

In the related communiqué, the Togolese representative mentioned progress made by his nation in terms of renewable energy. He also presented the country’s energy policy, highlighting strong points of its electrification strategy.

Besides Togo, representatives of 14 other West African nations, AREI’s institutional partners (IRENA, ECOWAS, ENDA), and West Africa’s regional entities attended the event. There were also representatives of multilateral organizations and initiatives operating in the clean power sector, representatives of the private sector, etc.

Let’s note that the AREI received from international partners a €10 billion financing covering the 2015-2020 period, in addition to a €1.5 billion subsidy.

Séna Akoda

Togo has adopted a new legal framework for its clean power sector. This was during the recent council of ministers held last Wednesday.

In effect, under the third and fourth decrees passed at the council, Togo wants to “tackle the various challenges related to power insufficiency”, increase power supply and reduce power dependency by diversifying sources of energy. These require an “appropriate legal framework”.

Therefore, “production, transport, distribution and commercialization of power generated from renewable sources”, will now be “subjected to a concession agreement”. Similarly, production thresholds will be set under the “various legal regimes regulating clean power projects”.

According to the ministry of mines and energy, Togo’s electrification rate rose to 45% in 2018, spurred by new connections by Compagnie Energie Electrique du Togo (CEET), and BBOXX operations which led to the electrification (with domestic solar units) of close to 10,000 homes.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi