Togo First
India's New Ambassador Pledges Economic Partnership Boost With Togo
Key Highlights:
• India's new ambassador pledged to strengthen economic ties with Togo during talks with PM Faure Gnassingbé
• India ranks as Togo's second-largest export destination in Q2 2025, cementing its position among top three trading partners
• An India-Togo economic forum scheduled for October aims to boost private sector investment in agriculture and mechanization
India's newly appointed ambassador to Togo outlined plans to strengthen economic ties during talks with Prime Minister Faure Gnassingbé on Thursday, September 11, in Lomé.
"We discussed partnership in several areas including political, economic, export and trade, capacity building, and how India and Togo can work together for the benefit of the Togolese and Indian peoples," Fahmi said.
Ambassador Shri Sayed Razi Haider Fahmi emphasized expanding cooperation across multiple sectors, primarily on economic, trade and training cooperation.
An India-Togo economic forum scheduled for October in Lomé aims to connect private sector players from both countries and stimulate investment in key areas including agriculture and mechanization.
The ambassador's focus on training cooperation suggests India plans to share expertise in technology and agricultural modernization—priorities for Togo's development agenda.
The diplomatic push builds on robust commercial ties. India has emerged as one of Togo's top three trading partners and ranked second among export destinations in the second quarter of 2025.
Esaïe Edoh
Ollo Africa Becomes Togo's First Fintech to Get Regional Banking Approval from BCEAO
West Africa's digital payments sector gained momentum in September when the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO) approved 10 new payment institutions across the West African Monetary Union (WAMU)—including a groundbreaking first for Togo.
Ollo Africa, a Lomé-based fintech, became the first Togolese company to secure this coveted authorization, joining an exclusive group of operators permitted to offer digital financial services throughout the eight-nation UEMOA economic zone.
Targeting the Unbanked Through Group Savings
The startup is launching Ohana Africa, an application designed to modernize traditional group savings by bringing these informal financial networks into the formal banking system. The platform promises thousands of Togolese secure, transparent access to digital savings and payments—services often beyond reach in underserved communities.
Ollo Africa's ambitions extend far beyond its home market. Management aims to rapidly scale to one million users in Togo before expanding across the region, leveraging partnerships with established financial institutions like Ecobank to fuel growth.
"Togo has already established itself as a leader in financial inclusion in Africa, and this approval reinforces the country's efforts to build a more inclusive economy," said Mawuna Koutonin, Ollo Africa's managing director. "This authorization enables us to create a more inclusive and accessible financial ecosystem for underserved communities, with the guarantee of banking supervision."
Central Bank Embraces Innovation
The BCEAO's latest approval round signals a broader strategic shift toward gradually opening regional markets to new players and innovative financial tools. This policy aims to stimulate innovation in a sector experiencing surging demand while maintaining strict oversight of financial soundness and transparency.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
Togo's Economy Surges in Late 2024 After Rocky Start
Togo's economy delivered a dramatic turnaround in the final months of 2024, capping a volatile year with explosive growth that masked earlier struggles.
The West African nation's gross domestic product soared 17.7% in the fourth quarter compared to the same period in 2023, according to newly released estimates from the Institut national de la statistique et des études économiques et démographiques (INSEED). This surge helped push annual growth to 6.5%, up from 6.2% in 2023.
A Tale of Two Halves
The year began ominously. Togo's economy contracted 5.8% in the first quarter, reflecting persistent sectoral tensions and underlying economic fragility. But momentum shifted dramatically as 2024 progressed: growth rebounded to 9.3% in the second quarter, moderated to 3.8% in the third, then exploded in the final three months.
Three Pillars Drive the Boom
The recovery drew strength from across Togo's economy. Agriculture led the primary sector to 10.8% growth, buoyed by strong harvests and government support through planned agricultural zones (ZAAP), subsidized fertilizers, and mechanization initiatives.
The secondary sector proved even more dynamic, expanding 18.2%. Construction dominated this surge, fueled by major public and private projects and activity at the Plateforme industrielle d'Adétikopé (PIA). Extractive industries added momentum with growth exceeding 25% for the year.
Services—the economy's backbone—delivered the strongest performance with 19.4% growth in the final quarter. Trade flourished during year-end festivities and intensified import-export activity. Digital and communication services maintained steady expansion at 11.4% annually, while business services jumped 18.5%.
Notable Weak Spots
Not every sector shared in the prosperity. Electricity and gas production and distribution plummeted 42% in 2024, representing the year's most significant setback. The hospitality sector also struggled, with accommodation and catering falling 8.6%. Public administration's contribution declined 8.9%.
Government Strategy Bears Fruit
Officials credit the turnaround to reforms outlined in the Government Roadmap 2020-2025, which targets economic diversification, logistics strengthening, and infrastructure modernization. Key initiatives include support for agri-food small and medium enterprises, service digitization, and upgrades to the port of Lomé—a critical regional hub.
The results suggest Togo's strategy of building a more resilient, diversified economy may be gaining traction, though the sharp quarterly variations highlight ongoing volatility in this small but strategically positioned nation.
Fiacre E. Kakpo
Togo Postpones Mayoral Elections Again, Citing Logistical Concerns
KEY HIGHLIGHTS:
• Second delay pushes elections from Sept 10-12 to Sept 17-19, ensuring participation of all 1,527 councilors
• Decentralization milestone launches new municipal term across 117 communes in ongoing power transfer since 2019
• Democratic scrutiny attracts close monitoring from political stakeholders and international development partner
Togo has postponed its mayoral elections for the second time in less than a month, pushing the vote from September 10-12 to September 17-19 as authorities seek to ensure full participation of all elected municipal councilors.
The Ministry of Territorial Administration announced the delay, citing the need to improve logistical organization and guarantee that all 1,527 municipal councilors elected in July can participate in selecting mayors and their deputies across the country's 117 communes.
The elections were originally scheduled for September 2-4 before being moved to this week. Public authorities emphasized their commitment to creating conditions for a transparent, inclusive process that complies with current legislation.
The mayoral appointments will officially launch the new municipal term, installing local executives who will play crucial roles in implementing development policies, managing resources, and advancing decentralization priorities throughout the country.
The electoral process carries particular significance as part of Togo's broader decentralization effort, which has been transferring powers from the central government to local authorities since 2019. This gradual shift represents a cornerstone of the nation's territorial governance strategy.
Both political stakeholders and development partners are closely monitoring the smooth conduct of these internal elections, recognizing their importance for strengthening democratic governance at the local level.
African Trade Fair: 20 Togolese SMEs Attend in Algeria
KEY HIGHLIGHTS:
• $44 billion investments and deals projected by fair’s conclusion
• Competitive advantage sectors include agro-industry, logistics, textiles with German-EU program support
• Continental integration builds on 2018 AfCFTA agreement offering smaller economies broader market access
Twenty (20) Togolese micro, small, and medium enterprises have been showcasing their products at the fourth Intra-African Trade Fair since September 4. This year, the fair, hosted in Algiers, Algeria, welcomed over 2,000 exhibitors and 30,000 delegates.
The event, themed "Gateway to new opportunities," represents a strategic platform for Togolese businesses to gain visibility in Africa's rapidly expanding market, where trade agreements and investments are projected to exceed $44 billion by the fair's conclusion.
Togo's participation, backed by the Ministry of Commerce, Handicrafts and Local Consumption, aims to connect national entrepreneurs with commercial networks across the continent. Most participating Togolese companies, which focus on processing and marketing local products, receive support from German Cooperation and the European Union through the ProComp program and the Alliance for Product Quality in Africa (AfPQ-AfCFTA), implemented by GIZ.
The Algiers fair, organized by Afreximbank in collaboration with the African Union and the AfCFTA Secretariat, builds on momentum from the 2018 Kigali agreement that established the African Continental Free Trade Area—a landmark accord designed to boost intra-African commerce.
For Togo, the stakes extend beyond immediate networking and business partnerships. The nation seeks to promote products and services in sectors where it holds competitive advantages, particularly agro-industry, logistics, textiles, and handicrafts.
Esaïe Edoh
Togo Joins Africa-Caribbean Push for Reparations at Addis Ababa Summit
KEY HIGHLIGHTS:
• Reparations leadership as Togo spearheads AU classification of slavery and colonization as crimes against humanity
• Economic diversification targets Caribbean trade expansion, renewable energy investment, and enhanced global profile
• South-South cooperation leverages shared African diaspora history for contemporary political and economic partnerships
Togo participated in the second Africa-CARICOM summit on Sunday, Sept 7, with Foreign Minister Robert Dussey representing the nation at talks focused on strengthening ties between Africa and the Caribbean Community through a shared pursuit of restorative justice.
The summit, held under the theme "Transcontinental partnership for restorative justice for Africans and people of African descent through reparations," aimed to deepen political, economic, and cultural connections between the two regions.
Speaking at the event on behalf of Council President Faure Gnassingbé, Dussey highlighted the African Union's landmark classification of slavery, deportation, and colonization as crimes against humanity and genocide against African peoples. The Togolese diplomat emphasized his country's leading role in this initiative, calling it a major turning point that officially recognizes centuries of injustice.
"This decision reflects a paradigm shift, in response to the aspirations of the African and Caribbean peoples," Dussey declared, underscoring its restorative and historic significance for both regions.
Beyond reparations, discussions encompassed security, peace, trade, climate change, education, and health issues, with particular attention to the African diaspora in the Caribbean. For Togo, the summit represents more than symbolic solidarity—the nation seeks to expand trade with dynamic island economies, attract investment in strategic sectors including agro-industry and renewable energy, and enhance its profile as a committed player in pan-African and international forums.
CARICOM, established in 1973, comprises 15 member states forming a market actively seeking new growth drivers. For Lomé, this partnership offers an opportunity to diversify external relationships amid intensifying geopolitical rivalries and growing emphasis on South-South cooperation.
The summit underscores Africa's evolving diplomatic strategy, leveraging shared historical experiences to build contemporary economic and political alliances with diaspora communities worldwide.
Pan-African Congress Returns to Lomé After Multiple Delays
KEY HIGHLIGHTS:
• Historic gathering convenes December 8-12, first congress in eight years since Accra edition
• Diaspora engagement crisis addressed as AU seeks to bridge gap with "abandoned" Afro-descendants globally
• Global governance reform positions pan-Africanism as tool for equitable African representation in international institutions
The 9th Pan-African Congress will convene December 8-12 in Lomé after several postponements, Togolese Foreign Minister Robert Dussey announced last week.
The continental summit will gather African leaders, politicians, academics, legal experts, and civil society representatives in the Togolese capital, alongside members of the African diaspora. Participants will focus on revitalizing pan-Africanism and defining Africa's role in reforming multilateral institutions.
"The need for a 9th Pan-African Congress in Lomé has imposed itself on Africa for several reasons," Dussey explained. "Among them, the need to put an end to the paradox between the African Union's clearly expressed desire to involve the diasporas more in the continent's development, and the feeling of abandonment felt by many Afro-descendants."
The gathering aims to position pan-Africanism as both an ideological foundation and a practical tool for addressing contemporary challenges. Delegates will also examine the urgent need for equitable reform of international institutions to ensure fairer African representation in global governance.
Eight years have passed since the last congress in Accra, and organizers view the Lomé meeting as a potential turning point. The diaspora, in particular, has been called upon to assume a driving role in building renewed African solidarity.
The congress represents a critical opportunity to bridge the gap between continental aspirations and diaspora engagement, while charting a path forward for African unity in an evolving global landscape.
Togo Launches Major School Kit Distribution Campaign for 100,000 Girls
KEY HIGHLIGHTS:
• 602 million FCFA investment reaches over 100,000 girls across 800 vulnerable localities nationwide
• World Bank partnership provides 37.5 billion FCFA through SWEDD+ project targeting cultural barriers to education
• Government roadmap priority advances 2020-2025 goal of free, equitable education with focus on social inclusion
The Togolese government launched a major campaign to distribute educational supplies yesterday, Sept 9. The program, valued at CFA602 million, targets over 100,000 girls across 800 localities nationwide.
It was officially launched in Djémégni, in the Plateaux region, with Minister and Secretary General of the Presidency of the Council Sandra Johnson presiding over the ceremony. Key attendees included government officials, World Bank Division Director for Côte d'Ivoire, Benin, Guinea, and Togo, Marie-Chantal Uwanyiligira, and United Nations System Coordinator, Coumba Sow.
Students, parents, and teachers from diverse backgrounds gathered to support the program, which specifically targets girls enrolled in public primary and secondary schools in vulnerable communities. The distributed kits contain essential school supplies and equipment designed to help recipients continue their education throughout the 2025-2026 academic year, which begins September 15.
"We want to reduce disparities in access and ensure that all students, especially girls and children with disabilities, benefit from quality education," Minister Johnson said during the ceremony.
The distribution aligns with Axis 1 of the Government Roadmap 2020-2025, which seeks to "strengthen social inclusion and harmony and consolidate peace" through free, compulsory, and equitable education.
Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Dodzi Kokoroko emphasized the initiative's long-term significance. "Investing in girls' education is building the future of the Republic," he declared.
The program operates under the SWEDD+ (Women's Empowerment and Demographic Dividend in the Enlarged Sahel) regional project, funded by the World Bank with CFA37.5 billion. Beyond kit distribution, the comprehensive program includes awareness campaigns and family and community support designed to address cultural and economic barriers to education.
Esaïe Edoh
Togo tax authority collects 61% of 2025 revenue target by August
Highlights:
- Togo’s OTR collected 737.2 billion CFA francs by August, 61% of the 2025 target.
- Performance equals 92.5% of forecast for Jan–Aug, up 4.8% y/y.
- OTR drafting 2026-2030 plan to digitize tax administration and widen the base.
The Togolese Revenue Office (OTR) collected 737.2 billion CFA francs ($1.2 billion) by the end of August, representing 61% of its annual target of 1,208.4 billion CFA francs, officials said on September 2, 2025, during a management seminar in Kara.
The figure corresponds to 92.5% of the OTR’s forecast for the first eight months (797.3 billion CFA francs) and marks a 4.8% year-on-year increase.
“This performance reflects the sustained pace of tax collection and the combined efforts of our tax, customs, and land registry departments,” said Commissioner General Philippe Tchodié.
To reach its annual goal, the OTR plans to broaden the tax base to include digital platforms, strengthen action against customs fraud and smuggling, and apply the new governance framework introduced this year.
The seminar also marked the start of work on the OTR’s 2026-2030 strategic plan, which will prioritize digital tools to boost transparency and improve trust between taxpayers and the administration.
Esaïe Edoh
Togo: CFMI launches partial scholarships for top students
- CFMI to offer partial scholarships to top BAC Pro and BTS students.
- Beneficiaries will pay one-third of fees; scholarships cover the rest.
- CFMI has trained 1,150 youth in 10 years, with 70% job placement.
The Centre de Formation aux Métiers de l’Industrie (CFMI) has announced partial scholarships for students with the highest scores in the BAC Pro and BTS exams. Applications are open until September 15.
Selected students will pay only one-third of their tuition, with the scholarships covering the rest. “These measures are aimed at reinvigorating the industrial sector and offering concrete job opportunities to Togolese youth,” said Jules Anani Gozo, CFMI General Manager.
The initiative is supported by the Togolese state and several professional organizations, including AFMI, the National Employers’ Council (CNP), the Association of Large Companies (AGET), the Free Zone Enterprises Association (ASOZOF), and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIT).
Founded a decade ago through Franco-Togolese cooperation, the CFMI has since trained over 1,150 young people. About 70% of graduates have entered the workforce, according to the institution.