Togo First
Soon, more than 300 rural localities will be electrified in Togo
Soon, more than 300 localities in Togo will have access to electricity in the framework of the rural electrification project financed by India and the Islamic Development Bank.
On November 29, 2018, authorities assisted in the project’s launch in two villages situated in the Vo prefecture (about 80km north of Lomé).
According to the ministry of energy, the goal of this “huge and ambitious project is to significantly raise electrification rate in rural areas knowing that in 2015, it was estimated at 8%, as compared to 2% a decade earlier”.
In Zoti, a village of Vo, the project will lead to the construction of a 20kV medium tension power line, spanning 3km, paired with a 100KVA transformer. Also, about 50 public lighting poles will be installed.
“Our goal will be reached if all households in targeted villages have at least an electric meter,” said Ahamad Boukary, project director at CEET, Togo’s power utility.
The actual project falls under the government’s new five-year national development strategy. The latter aims, in regards to electricity, to achieve these three main goals: improving power sector’s management, boosting power production capacities and increasing access to affordable power for industries and households, especially in agro-food, industrial and mining zones.
Octave A. Bruce
Togo ranked 33rd world’s largest clean energy promoter (Bloomberg)
Togo was ranked 33rd on the 2018 Climatescope released by Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF). This is the first time the West African nation is featured in the global clean energy promotion rankings.
In Africa, Togo closes the Top 10. In the WAEMU, only Senegal, 13th worldwide and second in Africa, is better ranked. In ECOWAS, Senegal and Nigeria (14th worldwide and 3rd in Africa) are ahead of Togo. Meanwhile Rwanda, 5th worldwide is the number one in Africa. Globally, China tops the rankings.
According to Bloomberg, Togo’s performance results from the fact that, last July, the country adopted its “first law promoting clean energy development,… aiming to bring renewables share in the national energy mix to 50, by 2030, against 15% now”. The new law reduced import duties, custom tariffs and fosters foreign investments, the BNEF lauds.
Other factors that got Togo on the ranking include its new electrification strategy, pave the way for encouraging perspectives in the clean energy sector, the organization said. “The government recently released a roadmap to achieve 100% of electrification rate by the same year (2030), from an average of 37% in 2017. This plan consists in adding 108 MW of solar and hydroelectric capacity to the grids, 315 mini-grids and distributing 550,000 solar kits, all under public-private partnerships”.
While this is an ambitious goal, it is the government’s will to be autonomous, in terms of power production, which will spur clean energy’s development. Climatescope is a yearly study that covers 4 major areas including renewable energy attractiveness, clean energy investments, climate financing, low-carbon energy value chain as well as greenhouse gas management.
The ranking is designed to keep investors, project developers, and regulators updated on policy frameworks across the country. It also helps direct Investment decisions.
Fiacre E. Kakpo
Digital: First stone of Carrier Hotel to be laid on December 3, in Lomé
Togo’s minister of digital economy and posts, Cina Lawson, announced this Wednesday that the first stone of the Carrier Hotel in Lomé will be laid on December 3, 2018.
The building aims to support the country’s ambitions regarding digital economy. It results from a public-partnership agreement (PPA) and will, according to the minister, be “a housing and co-rental space, neutral and open, integrating an internet exchange point and provide access to competitive broadband”.
The infrastructure is financed by the World Bank ($30 million) and falls under the West African Regional Communications Infrastructure Program.
According to Togolese authorities, the project is “a top challenge related to the securing and guarantee of digital sovereignty”, in Togo.
Octave A. Bruce
Togo: Electrification of Gblainvié cost the government about CFA48 million
On Wednesday, Gblainvié, a community situated in the Zio prefecture, about 40 km from Lomé, was connected to the country’s power grid. This was done in the presence of the minister of energy.
Works to connect the locality cost the government nearly CFA48 million.
In detail, the project involved expanding the medium tension network by 2.1 km and the low tension network by 1.7 km. In addition, 20 lamp poles and a 161 Kva transformer were installed.
The locality’s connection to the grid aligns with the government’s goal to achieve universal access to electricity by 2030, under its new electrification strategy. It should boost creation of micro businesses and subsequently economic activity in the locality.
Séna Akoda
Cybersecurity and data centre management are promising sectors for the youth - Cina Lawson
Just like many other West African nations, Togo deals with a mismatch between job opportunities and education provided to youth.
On the sidelines of a seminar started last Wednesday, Cina Lawson, minister of posts and digital economy declared: “There are great job opportunities in sectors such as cybersecurity, data center management or more related to multimedia for which companies hire”.
“Our youth must be provided with an education that is relevant to these opportunities so that they are hired in these sectors”, Lawson added.
The seminar which ends today included workshops and roundtables focused on themes such as Women and ICT jobs and Lifetime education in Togo: Which economic model for which type of education?
Its (the seminar) purpose is to present to firms and schools the various trainings that are more likely to promote insertion in ICTs.
The initiative aligns with the West African Regional Communications Infrastructure Project (WARCIP) which is backed by the World Bank.
Séna Akoda
Benin and Togo will now import electricity separately
Starting January 1, 2019, Benin and Togo will separately import electricity to meet their needs. This was decided during the inter-governmental summit held in Lomé, November 27, 2018, in the presence of the two countries’ respective leaders, Faure Gnassingbé and Patrice Talon.
Up till now, the Communauté Electrique du Bénin (CEB), develops electricity infrastructure in both Benin and Togo, purchasing power for the two States also as they both co-own the organization. Regarding the latter, both countries had agreed not to separately conclude any power importation agreement.
However, a final statement released yesterday indicates that “each State will directly import additional power it needs”, starting next year.
In effect, the CEB will be restructured for more efficiency and will from now only “manage power transport network and continue operating the Nangbéto dam as well as the two gas turbines installed in the two countries”.
Yesterday in Lomé, the organization was effectively (with an agreement signed) placed under provisional administration. As a result, “a transitional management will be put in place next January 1, 2019”, the two governments declared.
This management will, within six months, under the supervision of the High Inter-States Council (including eight ministers) have to initiate recruitment of a delegated manager who will launch the firm’s restructuring.
“Regarding the debt that the CEB owes its power suppliers (TCN, VRA, GRIDCo and CIE), a deal will be reached for its payment,” says the note released by the organization.
Fiacre E. Kakpo
Togo working on action plan to regularize the informal sector
On November 26-27, 2018, Togo’s national social security fund (CNSS) organized a workshop related to the elaboration of a national strategy to regularize the informal sector, by providing social security to all.
Participants, in addition to working on the elaboration of this strategy, also developed an action plan in its regard, according to Togolese Press Agency (ATOP).
During the meeting, mutuals, associations, economic groups were identified. Same goes for initiatives developed for informal businesses, in all sectors of activities, all over the country.
Participants present wrote a report containing good practices and existing potentialities, related to the informal sector’s regulation and more.
Séna Akoda
University of Lomé to host next December 6 a forum on internet governance
On December 6, 2018, internet players will meet at the University of Lomé where will be held a forum on internet governance.
Including government representatives, the regulator, major societies, free speech defenders and civil society players, the dialogue platform will focus on current and upcoming challenges related to internet governance.
To be more precise, the event’s organizers plan to promote a better comprehension of issues related to internet governance within the respective communities of parties involved.
Various topics will be covered during the event. The first is themed “Protecting data and digital freedoms”, while the second is themed “digital economy, security and emerging technologies”, and the last’s theme is “Internet’s infrastructures and policies”.
For registration, visit: http://intgovforum.tg/
Séna Akoda
Sandra Johnson leads Togolese delegation to 9th edition of “Ease of Doing Business Initiative”
Sandra Johnson, Head of Togo’s Business Climate Cell and Advisor to the President, is currently in Côte d’Ivoire where she is attending the ninth Ease of Doing Business Initiative (EDBI) annual conference.
This conference focuses on the sharing of experiences and best practices to improve business environment, in the framework of the Doing Business. Initiated by the World Bank’s group, and the Ivorian State, it was officially opened on November 26, 2016, by Amadou Gon Coulibaly, Côte d’Ivoire’s Prime Minister and Minister of Budget.
Various panels are planned to let participants know about the best practices related to the ease of doing business. For example, there will be a top-class panel debating “the importance of reforms for the business climate amid economic growth challenges in Africa, and another on Trends in the region: Actualizing the Doing Business methodology and overview of Africa’s performances in the Doing Business rankings”.
The Togolese delegation which wishes to bring the country below the 100th rank, will learn the best practices taught at the conference.
Séna Akoda
Next November 30, CNSS will initiate its “Vendredi de la sécu” project
Togo’s national social security fund (CNSS) released a statement announcing a new project it is launching. Baptized Vendredi de la sécu, this is a quarterly rendez-vous to train officials, executives of firms and partnering institutions, to boost their capacities, especially in regards to laws, their rights and duties in relation to the CNSS.
The first session is to be held November 30, 2018, on the theme: “Registration of employers and workers at the CNSS, legal, regulatory and procedural frameworks.”
As the theme suggests, firms’ executives attending will be informed about laws applicable, both legal and regulatory, in regards to registration.
Séna Akoda