Under the sponsorship of Togo’s ministry of economy and finance, the Bourse Régionale des Valeurs Mobilières (BRVM) will launch the 13th edition of the BRVM days in Lomé next October 18

Placed under the theme “Innovation and stock markets’ development”, these days should enable the stock exchange to showcase its financial products and services to Togolese firms and investors.

This would dynamise the regional stock market and aims to develop a stock culture within WAEMU.

Many activities are planned to this end; such as a discussion on “regulation challenges impairing growth of stock markets in Africa”, a conference on “SMEs financing via stock markets”, which will be hosted by Ecobank’s chief for the WAEMU, Paul-Harry Aithnard.

Other scheduled activities include a workshop themed “Getting firms listed on stock markets: How to successfully proceed?” and another conference on the “role of stock market in the economy’s financing”, hosted by Dr. Edoh Kossi Amenounve, BRVM’s Director General.

BRVM is a specialized financial institution created on December 18, 1996 by the WAEMU ministers’ council. It is based in Abidjan but has a representation in each of the WAEMU nations.

Séna Akoda

Togo plans to revise its mining regulations, under its mining governance and development project (PGDM). The move should focus on three main axes: regulations'  revision, support to mining inspections, and integrating systems to monitor standards and performances of mining operators in Togo.

Under the revision of regulations segment, the authorities plan to review existing laws and decrees imposed on the mining industry to ensure environmental and social protection. The government also intends to proceed to an institutional review to identify the various ministers and institutions assessing and ensuring that standards set in the sector are met. Additionally, an analysis of coherence between mandates and commitments of public agencies in charge of inspecting and managing mining activities in conformity with laws regulating the sector will be conducted.

Under the support to mining inspections, the government will support the General Directorate of Mines and Geology (DGMG) while it inspects at least five mining operations which will be considered as a representative sample of the industry, assessing criteria like ore type, geography, environmental and social impacts. Authorities will also design a knowledge transfer strategy to develop regulations, draw on-site inspection procedures, etc.

Under the data management system, the State plans to set a system that will collect, publish and exploit mining data and will also recommend adequate measures to ensure the system’s sustainability.

The whole project will be trusted to a firm for which hiring process is underway.

Séna Akoda

Togolese engineers met for their first general assembly to produce a code of conduct that will ensure their work is properly regulated.

The move was spurred by some misconducts of some of them and also because some individuals portray themselves as engineers without having the title.

During the general assembly, the engineers created a committee to monitor all laws that will be produced in regards to the sector’s regulations. The goal is to get these laws adopted by the parliament.

This committee also proposed the creation of a professional order of engineers to regulate access to the profession. Beside restructuring the profession, the committee wants engineers to be acknowledged by clients and partners as true professionals.  

Séna Akoda

Sixty-five youths from the Support Fund for Youth-led Economic Initiatives (FAIEJ) and Lions Club International, are currently taking part in a workshop for young entrepreneurs in Lomé where they are trained in methods of creating and designing business plans. 

The workshop on October 1 lasted two weeks. In effect, the trainees will build up their leadership skills to better identify and manage opportunities. “It is a place to train these young people,” said FAIEJ’s director general, Sahouda Gbadamassi-Mivedor. 

The workshop focuses on three main pillars, knowingly: helping youths overcome challenges, build their skills and help them master markets. 

FAIEJ is a mechanism put in place by the ministry of grassroots development, craftsmanship, youth and youth employment. It promotes entrepreneurship and youths’ economic insertion.

Bolloré will invest about CFA127.1 million in the construction of Kovié market (Zio prefecture).

Total cost for the infrastructure is about CFA240 million. The State will inject the remaining sum. Related works commenced last September 28 with the first stone laid by the minister of grassroots development, Victoire Tomégah-Dogbé.

Construction of this new market, which will replace the old one, falls under the Program to support community-oriented micro-projects (PSMICO), led by the national agency for grassroots development support (Anadeb).

It will have 15 sheds, 7 of which will have 28 places, four storage warehouses, 2 blocks of WCs, 1 administrative block, a slaughter house and a photovoltaic well, among others.

In Togo, it should be recalled, Bolloré has already constructed various sanitary, socio-educational and cultural facilities.

Octave A. Bruce

Togo’s government plans to build waste management centres in Dapaong and Atakpamé, capitals of the Savanes and Plateaux regions. This move aligns with the authorities will to coordinate decentralized management of domestic waste.

According to a document obtained by Togo First, the projected centres are intermediate recollection centres (IRC) and waste storage infrastructures, and others to treat faecal sludge and finally end treatment and valorization centres.

In detail Atakpamé and Dapaong will respectively get seven and five IRCs. The two towns will also be equipped with a watch post, a shared building, a car park, and a multipurpose metallic hangar. Technical landfills, composting spaces, effluent treatment plants are also projected.

All the infrastructures will be funded by the 11th European Development Fund, in line with phase 1 of Togo’s Water and Sanitation project (PEAT-1).

The project will be managed by the ministry of development planning which is seeking qualified firms to carry out projected works. A tender was launched to this end.

For a more efficient management of urban waste, a modern technical landfill centre was established in the Zanguera district, which is located on the outskirts of Lomé. 

Séna Akoda

Tsévié (35 km from Lomé) is the first place where the sensitization campaign begins for the 2018-2022 National Development Plan (PND 2018-2022). This tour started on October 1. 

Supported by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the European Union’s delegation in Togo, this tour aims to promote the document which is to serve as the country’s economic and social strategy over the next five years.

After Tsévié, the next places that will be covered are Atakpamé, Sokodé, Kara, and Dapaong.

Adopted last August to replace the SCAPE, the PND revolves around three main axes. The first of these aims to make Togo a logistics hub, as well as a top-class business centre in the region. The second aims to establish poles for agro-processing, manufacturing, and extractive industries across the country. As for the last, it aims to improve social development and reinforce inclusion mechanisms.  

In the long run, the plan aims to transform the Togolese economy, structurally, for a strong, sustainable and inclusive growth; one that creates jobs.

Octave A. Bruce

In Togo, Total launched a new card for purchasing their products called Oasys+. It adds to the already present Oasis classic and Fat’ka cards launched in 2003 and 2016 respectively by the French giant.

While the first two ranges are processed only in Lomé, at Total’s headquarters, the recent one aims to enable total’s customers have access to all of its products and services even after traditional working hours. This was disclosed by Cyrille Kokou Dos-Reis, Deputy Managing Director Total Togo.

“Oasys+ is an innovative product that is dedicated to the mass and it can be topped up at stations. It is issued and activated in less than ten minutes in all Total stations, but for the moment, it is only available in 25 stations spread across the country,” he added.

“This card also takes into consideration users’ security concerns. This card is protected with a code that only its owner or user knows,” the executive said in this regard, highlighting that “it must be renewed after five years of use”.

For a user to acquire an Oasys+ card, he or she should come to a Total station with an ID document, fill an adhesion form which costs CFA3,500 and load the card with an initial minimum amount of CFA5,000.

With this card, the customer can access the history of his or her purchases and check his or her balance.

Séna Akoda

Togo, backed by the University of Lomé, is one of 17 nations selected across Europe, Asia and Africa to be part of the EdiCitiNet project. Togo’s capital is actually the only sub-Saharan African city to take part in the project which is funded by the European Union (EU).

EdiCitiNet aims to foster the use of urban landscapes to produce food products for transformation, consumption or commercialization. It will also accelerate a global movement of Edible Cities; that is cities where agriculture, nature, among others, are valorized.

Products, activities and services of these Edible Cities regrouped under the Edible City Solutions (ECS) banner will empower local communities to overcome social challenges they usually face while creating new green businesses and jobs.

In effect, a release on the European Commission’s website indicates, “five Front Runner Cities (FRC), supported by a highly interdisciplinary consortium of city authorities, SMEs, NGOs and academia, will demonstrate their unique experience with ‘own Living Labs’ and transfer their knowledge to seven dedicated Follower Cities (FC)”. Lomé falls under the second group (FC).

Séna Akoda