Togo will be one of the 21 nations competing in the new edition of the World Bread Contest (Mondial du Pain), scheduled for October 19 to 22, 2025, in Nantes, France.

The country will be represented by a three-person team of bakers led by Chef Marcel Kodzo Dodzi Gbafa-Wona, a renowned artisan and experienced trainer.

The Togolese delegation intends to showcase local expertise, creativity, and precision in line with the competition’s demands. "My team and I will have to create various products, traditional and innovative breads, viennoiseries, and an artistic piece, within a limited time, while meeting specific criteria for taste, technical skill, and presentation," explained Chef Gbafa-Wona. "We will highlight local products such as sorghum, cassava, sweet potato, and cocoa."

A veteran of international contests, the Togolese chef has previously represented the nation at similar events, helping to raise the profile of the country's artisanal excellence. For him, participation in the World Bread Contest extends beyond the competition itself. It aims to provide new visibility for the Togolese bakery and establish the country within the circle of nations recognized for their craft.

This ambition is set to continue in 2026, with Togo planning to participate in the Chocolatine World Cup, also held in France. "That will be an opportunity to continue showcasing our expertise and, above all, to promote Togolese chocolate, whose exceptional quality deserves international recognition," Chef Gbafa-Wona noted.

• The University of Kara convened over 700 researchers from 17 countries for its 6th International Scientific Conference, focusing on youth employability and university curriculum reform.

• Togo’s Higher Education Minister called for African universities to adapt teaching models to local economic needs and promote scientific sovereignty.

• The conference aims to produce actionable recommendations to align higher education with labor market demands and improve competitiveness for graduates.

Togo’s University of Kara opened the 6th International Scientific Conference on October 6, 2025, emphasizing youth employability and the adaptation of university programs to labor market needs. The event runs through October 10 and brings together over 700 researchers from 17 African and European countries.

The conference theme, “Today's and Tomorrow’s Professions: Sovereignty, Interdisciplinarity, and University Training Challenges,” frames discussions on aligning education with sustainable development and economic priorities.

Minister of Higher Education and Research Kanka-Malik Natchaba urged African universities to revise pedagogical models to better serve local economies. “University education must move beyond external orientation to address sustainable development challenges,” he said, stressing the importance of scientific sovereignty.

The opening keynote, focused on mathematics as a driver of innovation, reinforced the push to integrate science into educational and industrial policy.

University of Kara President Grace Prénam Hozou-Mouzou highlighted the conference’s role as a collaborative platform to anticipate labor market shifts. Delegates aim to develop concrete recommendations to improve the match between higher education and employment, enhancing the competitiveness of Togolese and African graduates.

This article was initially published in French by Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum

• Togo’s CNSS extends Universal Health Insurance (AMU) to self-employed workers, including artisans, farmers, traders, and individual entrepreneurs.

• The program uses a flexible, advance-contribution system ranging from CFA10,000 to CFA102,000 annually, covering preventive, curative, and hospital care for up to six dependents.

• CNSS launches a digital platform to facilitate online enrollment and payment, aiming to increase coverage of the informal sector, a critical component of Togo’s economy.

Togo’s National Social Security Fund (CNSS) officially expanded its Universal Health Insurance program (AMU) to non-salaried workers on October 7, 2025, in Lomé. The extension targets thousands of self-employed actors in the informal economy, previously excluded from formal health coverage.

CNSS Director-General Ingrid Awadé described the reform as “a social justice imperative and a lever for sustainable development.” She emphasized that the move aligns with the government’s vision of universal social protection, now encompassing the informal sector, which constitutes a significant portion of Togo’s economy.

The AMU for self-employed workers operates on a flexible, advance-payment system. Contributors may pay 10,000 FCFA per month, CFA28,500 per quarter, CFA54,000 per semester, or CFA102,000 per year. A 90-day waiting period precedes access to benefits.

The scheme covers up to six dependents and provides preventive, curative, and hospital care, along with partial coverage for laboratory tests and essential medications. CNSS suspends benefits after two months of non-payment to maintain program sustainability.

To simplify participation, CNSS launched a digital platform accessible via its website and mobile apps. The platform enables self-employed workers to register, contribute, and manage payments online, supporting broader financial inclusion and streamlined administration.

This article was iniitally published in French by Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum

• Togo will install 10 new agro-processing units under the Sahel Food and Nutrition Security Resilience Program (P2-P2RS).
• The African Development Bank is financing the project with $6 million through its Transition Support Facility.
• The initiative targets rice milling, fruit and vegetable packaging, refrigeration, and composting to strengthen food security and boost farmer incomes.

The Togolese government has announced plans to build 10 new agro-processing units under the Sahel Food and Nutrition Security Resilience Program (P2-P2RS). The Ministry of Agriculture, Village Hydraulics, and Rural Development has issued a call for expressions of interest to recruit a consultancy firm to conduct feasibility studies for the facilities.

The African Development Bank (AfDB) will finance the project through its Transition Support Facility, with funding of 4.5 million Units of Account (about $6 million). Officials said the project aligns with Togo’s national strategy to add value to agricultural products.

The new units will focus on processing paddy rice into white rice, packaging and labeling vegetables, refrigerating fruits and vegetables, and producing compost. Authorities said the facilities aim to improve supply chains and strengthen resilience against food insecurity.

The consultancy will assess value chains, technical and financial feasibility, site selection, management models, and potential public-private partnership mechanisms. The objective is to ensure economic and social sustainability while attracting private investment.

Stakeholders said the project will reinforce Togo’s food security and create regional agro-industrial hubs. By linking production, processing, and marketing, the initiative is expected to raise incomes for local producers and stimulate rural development.

This article was initially published in French by R.E.D

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum

Togo began revising its national strategy for implementing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) on October 6. The Ministry of Trade, Handicrafts, and Local Consumption organized a three-day workshop in Lomé to update the framework.

The meeting gathered public, private, and civil society stakeholders. Authorities asked participants to propose adjustments to the existing plan and identify priority actions. A diagnostic of the current strategy is underway to assess shortcomings since the continental agreement took effect.

Officials said the updated strategy will enable Togolese businesses to benefit more from AfCFTA protocols. These include agreements on goods, competition, intellectual property, e-commerce, investment, and the participation of women and youth in intra-African trade.

Mensah Koffi Vinyo, chief of staff at the Ministry of Trade, said, “The AfCFTA is not a simple trade agreement but one of the most ambitious projects on the continent, aiming to create a single market of 1.4 billion consumers with a combined GDP estimated at more than $3 trillion.” He called the initiative “a historic opportunity for Togo,” citing potential gains in competitiveness, investment, and job creation for youth and women.

Serge Yapo, head of the UN Systems Office in Togo, said the revision strengthens the country’s position to capture Africa’s growth prospects under the AfCFTA. He cited expected increases of 41.1% in agri-food trade, 39.2% in services, 39% in industrial products, and 16.1% in energy and mining.

The current strategy (2019–2024) delivered notable progress, according to Togolese authorities. The government has taken multiple steps to help local businesses benefit from AfCFTA opportunities. Officials said the new plan will build on these gains to deepen participation in continental trade.

This article was initially published in French by Esaïe Edoh

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum

Company registrations in Togo fell slightly in the first nine months of 2025, despite government reforms aimed at boosting entrepreneurship.

A total of 3,352 new businesses were registered in the third quarter, bringing the January-September total to 11,099, according to CFE data compiled by Togo First.

This represents a 7.3% year-on-year decline compared with the same period in 2024, when 11,979 companies were registered, marking a slowdown after steady growth between 2021 and 2024.

Quarterly data show that the decline deepened through the year: 4,262 companies were registered in the first quarter, 3,485 in the second, and 3,352 in the third.

The downturn is largely due to fewer new ventures by Togolese nationals. In the first half of 2025, citizens founded 6,195 businesses, down about 7% from 6,615 during the same period in 2024.

The trend comes despite ongoing reforms designed to simplify registration procedures, reduce costs and delays, and promote entrepreneurship through digitization and incentive programs aimed at expanding the formal economy.

Esaïe Edoh

• Togo ranks 117th out of 139 economies in the 2025 Global Innovation Index (GII).
• The nation secured the 2nd position among low-income countries.
• Market sophistication and institutions are Togo's strongest pillars.

Togo placed 117th out of 139 economies in the 2025 edition of the Global Innovation Index (GII), published by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). The country ranked second among low-income nations, trailing Rwanda (104th) but surpassing Madagascar (120th) and Uganda (124th).

WIPO annually publishes the GII in collaboration with INSEAD and Cornell University. The index assesses countries' capacity to generate and leverage innovation, utilizing 80 indicators across seven pillars. Three pillars measure "inputs"—institutions, human capital and research, and infrastructure—which represent conditions conducive to innovation. The remaining four pillars evaluate "outputs," or concrete results: market sophistication, business sophistication, knowledge and technology outputs, and creative outputs.

The report indicates Togo's strongest performances in market sophistication and institutions, where it secured the 106th position. This ranking reflects a stable business environment and increasing access to credit for startups. Conversely, research, infrastructure, and business sophistication remain weaknesses, with respective rankings of 107th, 129th, and 136th.

Togo "superperforms" in knowledge and creativity outputs, achieving a 105th global rank. Within Africa, Togo ranks 19th out of 36 countries, behind Cameroon (116th globally) and ahead of Benin (118th). Mauritius, Morocco, and South Africa lead the continent's innovation rankings.

• The share of Togo’s external debt rose from 28.3% before the pandemic to 41.1% between 2020 and 2024, according to the IMF.
• Concessional loans from the IMF and World Bank now represent over a quarter of public debt, up from less than one-fifth in 2018.
• Togo secured over $850 million in new external loans in 2024, half under concessional terms, while maintaining a “strong” debt-carrying capacity and a “moderate” risk of debt distress.

Togo’s public debt profile is evolving toward greater international diversification, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said in its latest review under the Extended Credit Facility (ECF). The share of external debt in the country’s total debt stock increased to 41.1% between 2020 and 2024, compared with 28.3% before the COVID-19 pandemic.

The IMF viewed this evolution as a rebalancing of the debt portfolio, reflecting both a diversification of creditors and stronger participation from multilateral partners.

Concessional borrowing from the IMF and the World Bank now accounts for more than one-quarter of Togo’s public debt, compared with less than one-fifth in 2018. Over the same period, Lomé has reduced its reliance on non–Paris Club creditors—an informal group of public lenders that coordinates debt relief for distressed countries—in favor of structured bilateral and commercial borrowing.

This strategic shift has helped stabilize debt servicing costs and extend average maturities, the IMF said.

In 2024, the Togolese government signed over $850 million in new external loans, about half on concessional terms. Officials said the diversification of borrowing sources, particularly toward low-interest financing, aims to reduce the interest burden and limit exposure to regional financial markets.

Despite a short-term commercial loan equivalent to 1.7% of GDP, the IMF rated Togo’s debt-carrying capacity as “strong,” maintaining the country’s overall risk of debt distress at a “moderate” level.

This article was initially published in French by R.E.D

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum