The second edition of the National School on Internet Governance (ENOGI) ended on October 8, 2024. The two-day event was organized by Internet Society Togo (ISOC-Togo). It gathered in Lomé various Togolese internet pioneers, such as Jean-Marie Noagbodji, whose company manages the Togolese internet extension ".tg," along with regional experts.

"Our meeting today comes when the Internet is at a crossroads. As strong advocates for an open, free, and secure Internet, we face significant challenges that require us to rethink our long-held policies and approaches," said Emmanuel Vitus Agbenowossi, President of ISOC-Togo, on the first day.

The event covered key topics including internet governance, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and national digital regulation strategies. "We are confronted with issues related to the security of digital infrastructures and protecting users' rights. Cybersecurity remains critical due to rising cyber threats and vulnerabilities, making it essential to ensure a safe Internet for everyone," Agbenowossi declared.

The first ENOGI edition took place in 2021. It was organized in partnership with the African Union (AU) and the European Union (EU) as part of the PRIDA project. The event received nearly 500 applications, reflecting growing interest in digital governance. Out of the 500, 60 participated in online training, while 45 attended in-person sessions in Lomé.

Founded in January 1992, the Internet Society is a global organization based in the United States. It promotes the advancement of computer networks worldwide. Over the past 20 years, the Internet Society has advocated for an open, secure, and interconnected Internet in Lomé.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Togo’s Ministry of Planning, Development, and Cooperation is recruiting field agents for the 5th National Agricultural Census (RNA 5) until October 15, 2024. This recruitment is in preparation for the census, which last occurred in 2012.

Candidates must apply on a dedicated platform. Once selected, they will gather information on crops, cultivated areas, farm types, and agricultural farming practices.

This census will provide a clear picture of Togo's agricultural sector, highlighting its strengths and challenges. The data collected will help shape future policies and investments in agriculture.

This fifth census aims to monitor and evaluate Togo's agricultural sector, which has not been surveyed on this scale for over a decade. The last census indicated that Togolese agriculture contributed nearly 40% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employed around 60% of the workforce.

The results of this new survey will measure the evolution of this vital sector and account for changes that have occurred over the past ten years.

Esaïe Edoh

Lomé-based Pan-African airline Asky has resumed flights from Lomé, Togo, to Pointe Noire, Congo, through Luanda, Angola. A ceremony was held on October 2 to celebrate the resumption. 

On this route, Asky will operate three flights weekly–Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

The flights had been halted for four years due to a lack of passengers. With the reopening, Asky has only one destination left to reach its goal of serving about 30 destinations in West and Central Africa.

The reopening should also translate into higher traffic for Lomé’s airport, contributing to the facility’s ambition of having 1.5 million passengers by 2025.

Asky received a new aircraft on October 1, 2024, to replace its oldest plane as part of its modernization and expansion plan. Under this plan, the carrier should acquire two new planes every year and expand to two new destinations.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

It is now possible to request proof of payment for the regulatory fee related to public procurement in Togo. On October 1, the sector’s regulator, the ARCOP, launched PASSE, a digital platform enabling this service.

On this platform, proofs are generated automatically once an application is submitted. The document can be obtained within 72 hours.

With this move, ARCOP is taking a significant step in its efforts to improve accessibility and follows other government agencies that are also digitizing their services. The goal is to digitize 75% of administrative procedures by 2025.

Several state entities, including the Port of Lomé, the Tax Office, and various ministries, already kicked off the transition.

Esaïe Edoh

The Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI), has a new representative in Togo: Riswana Soundardjee. She introduced herself to Togolese Prime Minister Victoire Tomegah-Dogbe on October 2, 2024, alongside her predecessor, Demba Diack.

"I have had this responsibility for the past two and a half years. It's time for me to hand over responsibility to my colleague, who will be the new country manager," said Demba Diack.

During the meeting, past and future projects between Togo and GAVI were reviewed, especially regarding malaria control. Riswana Soundardjee expressed her commitment to continuing immunization efforts, especially for children.

GAVI supports various vaccination programs in Togo. From 2021 to 2025, Togo has received $27.2 million for vaccine support, $16.1 million for vaccine campaigns (including hepatitis and HPV), and $4.06 million for technical assistance.

Although vaccination coverage is relatively high in Togo, it has stagnated recently. DTP1 (diphtheria-tetanus-polio) coverage has remained stable between 87% and 90%, while measles and rubella coverage has fluctuated between 69% and 77%, according to the Ministry of Health.

One major area of future collaboration will be the introduction of new vaccines, including those for HPV and malaria.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

A project to modernize palm processing in Momé Katihoé, a village in Vo, Southern Togo. The project received CFA60.4 million under the WACA ResIP coastal resilience program. 

Modernizing Production

"In the past, kneading palm nuts was extremely difficult. We sometimes did it with our feet or in mortars, which made the work tedious," explains Soutoji Komlan, president of the Development Committee of Momé Katihoé. 

The newly launched project was submitted to WACA by the community. A modern processing unit has been built under the initiative. The facility has mixers, motorized extractors, and a palm kernel oil press. "With this new equipment, work is easier and our women's living conditions have improved considerably," said Komlan.

"Making palm oil used to take us very long, at least a week. With this equipment, we can now produce many 25-liter jerrycans, in just a day," said Dodjomè Adjovi Reine, one of the project's beneficiaries. The project has even allowed the beneficiaries to open an account with a local microfinance institution.

Developing the Village

The sub-project also addressed energy needs since electricity was required to operate the equipment. It also involved wood-energy plantations to combat wood shortages. The community started with 3.5 hectares of reforestation and has expanded to 25 hectares.

Oboubé Donou, president of the women's processing cooperative, expects a borehole to be completed soon. That is one of WACA's final tasks in the area.

Becoming a Role Model

Dr. Adou Rahim Alimi Assimiou, national coordinator of WACA in Togo, considers Momé Katihoé an exemplary community. "Through this sub-project, the community has achieved remarkable things that cannot be compared to others," he stated. The initiative benefits not only Momé Katihoé but also nearby villages.

Despite some remaining work like fencing and building a borehole, WACA's leadership in Togo believes the project has already positively impacted the lives of palm nut processors in the village.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Togo lost its crown as Gabon’s top supplier in Q2 2024. It fell to the fourth position, with exports plunging by 57.9% compared to Q1 2024. The news was reported by Le Nouveau Gabon, quoting data from Gabon's Directorate General of Customs. 

Over the quarter reviewed, Gabon's imports from its top 10 suppliers decreased by 7.0% quarter-on-quarter.

With the drop, Togo’s market share shrunk to 10%, placing it behind France, China, and Belgium. However, Togo remains the only African country among Gabon’s top 10 suppliers.

Togo mostly exports petroleum products to Gabon, or re-export since it does not produce oil. In 2021, Togo sold CFA41.6 billion worth of goods to Gabon, primarily from the oil sector.

It is worth noting that exports from Togo to Gabon increased substantially (+195.8%) between Q4 2023 and Q1 2024. At the time, Togo was Gabon’s top supplier. 

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Togo raised CFA10.5 billion on the WAEMU Market last Monday, Sept. 30. Lomé was CFA4.5 billion short on its target for the operation–a simultaneous issue of fungible treasury bills (BATs) and fungible treasury bonds (OATs). 

The operation report indicates that CFA8.2 billion was secured via the BATs. The securities mature over 182 and 364 days at a variable interest rate. The remaining CFA2.3 billion was secured via OATs, which have an annual interest rate of 6.15%. 

While CFA10.5 billion was retained, investors mobilized CFA18 billion for the operation. This is CFA3 billion more than the amount initially targeted.

Including this latest operation, Togo has raised CFA631 billion on the regional money market this year. The funds will help finance the country's budget for the fiscal year 2024, which balances resources and expenses at CFA2,179 billion.

Esaïe Edoh

The number of mobile users in Togo was 7.3 million by the end of March 2024, up 9% year-on-year. The country’s telecom watchdog, ARCEP, disclosed the figure based on its latest customer satisfaction survey. 

In detail, Togo Cellulaire had 4.37 million users (60% of the total), and Moov Africa Togo had 2.91 million users (40%). 

Over the period reviewed, both operators totaled 3.55 million Mobile Money users. Togo Cellulaire had 2.16 million with its Tmoney service and Moov Africa Togo had 1.4 million via Flooz. 

The ARCEP survey covered over 15,000 respondents. It revealed that most “MoMo” users (89%) used the service for credit top-ups, bill payments (86%), and financial transactions (81%).

While the growth is laudable, some challenges impede the increase in the number of MoMo users. According to the ARCEP report, these include the high cost of transaction (according to 81% of the surveyed) and the lack of interoperability between Tmoney and Flooz (75%). Half of the mobile users, across both operators, also have trust and security issues. They also complained about low monthly limits that can only be passed by requesting an account extension.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi