Togo First
Togo: Electric Utility Drops Fixed Fees on Cash Power to Ease Pressure on Households
The Electricity Company of Togo (CEET) has suspended fixed fees on Cash Power credit purchases. The government ordered this move to help families struggling with rising living costs.
The CEET explained that it is working on a new, more beneficial system for customers. The utility reminded the public that the 230,000 households that received a kilowatt-hour rate cut in December 2024 are still exempt from the rate hike imposed on May 15.
The utility plans to modernize its infrastructure, reduce power outages, and speed up rural electrification as part of its internal reforms. The company also promised to improve customer service and to communicate more openly about its activities.
This decision comes after previous rate hikes in recent years triggered strong backlash from consumers.
Togo to Drill Nine New Boreholes to Boost Water Access in Greater Lomé
Togo’s capital, Lomé, will soon get nine new boreholes to improve water access under the Urban Water Security Improvement Project in Togo (PASH-MUT). The Ministry of Water launched a call for bids in late May 2025 to hire companies for the project.
The plan includes six autonomous boreholes spread across neighborhoods with the greatest need for clean water. Companies have until July 9, 2025, to submit their proposals.
The project supports the government’s goal to achieve universal water coverage by 2030. It aims to improve drinking water and sanitation in Greater Lomé.
At the end of 2024, Togo’s national water coverage stood at 70%. The Ministry now targets 72% coverage by the end of 2025, down from an earlier forecast of 85%. Rural areas should see coverage rise to 79%, semi-urban areas to 63%, and urban areas to 79%.
This article was initially published in French by Esaïe Edoh
Edited in English by Ola Schad Akinocho
Togo Responds to New U.S. Visa Restrictions, Calls for Responsibility
The U.S. recently imposed visa restrictions on several African countries, including Togo. Togo’s Foreign Minister Robert Dussey addressed the issue on social media, stressing that Togolese citizens bear responsibility for the move.
“Every country has the right to respect its borders and laws,” Dussey said. He called the Trump administration’s decision legitimate and blamed some Togolese for overstaying visas, which harms relations with the U.S., one of Togo’s key partners.
The U.S. announced the expanded restrictions on June 4, citing ongoing problems with traveler screening and high visa overstay rates among nationals from affected countries.
The restrictions do not ban entry outright but limit access to visas for tourism, temporary work, and study.
Togo aims to strengthen global partnerships, attract foreign investment, and develop a competitive workforce. Dussey urged the nation to “strive to overcome this challenge.”
This article was initially published in French by Esaïe Edoh
Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum
WAEMU: BCEAO Lowers Key Interest Rate to 3.25% to Boost Growth
The Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO) cut its key interest rate to 3.25% on June 4 to stimulate growth in the WAEMU region.
The Monetary Policy Committee, led by Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, lowered the rate by 25 basis points during its meeting in Dakar.
The bank aims to support the region’s economic rebound, expecting growth to hit 6.4% in 2025, up from 6.3% last year.
BCEAO also cut the marginal lending rate to 5.25%. The reserve requirement ratio stayed at 3%.
Inflation eased to 2.3% in the first quarter, helped by better market supply and lower import prices, especially for energy. This rate stays below the 3% regional target.
The Central Bank pledged to monitor inflation and economic conditions closely. It promised to act if needed to keep monetary stability in the Union.
This article was initially published in French by Ayi Renaud Dossavi
Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum
OIF Launches “D-CLIC, Train Yourself in Digital Skills” Project in Aného
The International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF) launched its “D-CLIC” digital training program in Aného, southern Togo.
The incubator CUBE runs the program locally. It targets young people and women aged 18 to 35 in the Lacs prefecture.
The program teaches practical skills in web development, digital communication, and managing online communities.
The training takes place at the Aného Center for Reading and Cultural Animation (CLAC). It aims to fill the growing need for digital professionals in Togo.
This edition builds on previous success. In May, 244 young people earned digital certifications after a five-month intensive course in Lomé, Kara, and Dapaong.
Registration is free and open until June 30, 2025, on the program’s website.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
Yawo Félix Djidotor Named Ecobank Group Auditor for Six Years
DYK Audit & Advisory, a leading Togolese accounting, audit, and consulting firm, will serve as the statutory auditor for Ecobank Group for the next six years. Ecobank’s General Assembly, held on May 28, 2025, in Lomé, approved the appointment.
Dr. Yawo Félix Djidotor, a certified public accountant and senior partner at HLB Togo, will lead the audit. Djidotor holds an Executive Doctorate in Business Administration and served as president of Togo’s National Order of Chartered Accountants until 2023. HLB Togo’s mandate lasts until the General Assembly reviews the accounts for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2030.
Ecobank made this appointment to comply with the Organisation for the Harmonisation of Business Law in Africa (OHADA) regulations. OHADA requires public companies to appoint at least one auditor registered in the country where the company’s headquarters are located. Ecobank Transnational Incorporated, the group’s holding company, is based in Lomé.
HLB Togo, registered with Togo’s National Order of Chartered Accountants, joined the global HLB network in 2024. HLB operates in more than 150 countries, with over 40,000 professionals in 750 offices worldwide. The firm serves both public and private clients, especially in the banking and finance sectors of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU).
HLB Togo was also recently appointed as alternate auditor for FICAO Grant Thornton Togo S.A., alongside Crowe TG ICAAF SARL, for a six-year term ending after the 2027 accounts.
With this appointment, HLB Togo joins Ecobank’s audit team, which has included international firms like Deloitte Nigeria and Grant Thornton Côte d’Ivoire. These firms remain involved in Ecobank’s audits but are not registered with Togo’s National Order of Chartered Accountants and cannot alone meet OHADA’s legal requirements.
This article was initially published in French by Fiacre E. Kakpo
Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum
Donald Trump Imposes Partial US Entry Restrictions on Togolese Nationals
The Trump administration has imposed partial entry restrictions on Togolese nationals, effective June 4, 2025. The policy affects seven countries facing tightened visa rules, citing persistent weaknesses in traveler screening and high visa overstay rates.
The White House highlighted Togo’s 19.03% overstay rate for B1/B2 visas and 35.05% for F, M, and J visas in its Overstay Report.
While not a full ban, the restrictions target tourism, temporary work, and study visas. This could hinder academic and professional opportunities for young Togolese seeking training or jobs in the U.S.
Togo’s government, currently pushing to strengthen international partnerships for digital transformation and foreign investment, faces added strain. The move coincides with reduced U.S. aid under Trump, including the shutdown of USAID’s Togo office.
The restrictions may slow economic, technological, and human exchanges critical to Togo’s development agenda.
Lomé has not yet issued an official response, but concerns mount over impacts on university exchanges, skills transfers, and business relations.
12 other countries face total entry bans, while Togo’s restrictions remain partial.
This article was initially published in French by Ayi Renaud Dossavi
Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum
University of Lomé Joins Forces with LaNSA to Boost Food Security in Togo
The University of Lomé is stepping up to contribute to Togo’s food security efforts.
On June 2, 2025, the university signed a partnership with the National Laboratory for Food Safety and Phytosanitary (LaNSA). They plan to combine academic know-how and technology to improve the quality and safety of agro-food products.
The partners will create a technical committee to steer the project. The latter will offer students internships at LaNSA, launch research on soil quality, product traceability, and agricultural waste reuse, and secure funding to sustain these efforts.
“With LaNSA, we move from theory to economic and social impact. That is the mission of an engaged university,” commented University President Adama Mawulé Kpodar. Through the initiative, he stressed, the university aims to train experts who can solve real agro-food challenges.
LaNSA, part of the Togolese Institute of Agronomic Research, has three departments: physico-chemistry, microbiology, and valorization. It tests and certifies agro-food products from seeds to finished goods, ensuring they meet national and international health standards.
The University of Lomé sees this partnership as a way to link academic research with practical science, speed up agricultural modernization, and boost Togo’s food independence.
This article was initially published in French by Esaïe Edoh
Edited in English by Ola Schad Akinocho
Togo Close to Joining Pan-African Great Green Wall Initiative
Togo is about to join the Pan-African Great Green Wall initiative. Officials confirmed this on May 28, 2025, during the project validation meeting held in Lomé.
Juan Carlos Vasquez, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) representative, confirmed the news after meeting with Togo’s Environment Minister, Foli Bazi Katari.
“The membership process is almost complete,” Vasquez said. He added that a ministerial meeting and a summit of heads of state will take place before the end of 2025 to make it official.
The Great Green Wall, led by 20 countries, aims to restore 100 million hectares of degraded land stretching from Senegal to Djibouti. According to Lomé, joining the initiative will help the country better fight climate change and promote sustainable rural development.
UNEP pledged to support Togo financially and technically to build a national program for land restoration activities.
Togo, AfDB, and Partners Launch Bold €200M Green Initiative
The African Development Bank (AfDB) has agreed to help Togo raise €200 million through a partial guarantee. The two partners announced this on June 2, 2025.
The arrangement will enable Togo to secure funding from international commercial lenders, including Legal & General (L&G) and Deutsche Bank.
The 20-year sustainable loan will finance projects focused on climate change adaptation, sustainable agriculture, biodiversity conservation, clean energy access, and pollution reduction.
“By securing this sustainable loan, we send a strong signal to investors about the strength of our economic governance,” said Essowè Georges Barcola, Togo’s Minister of Economy and Finance.
Maryam Khosrowshahi, a director at Deutsche Bank, said the bank was “honored to have contributed to Togo’s first sovereign operation in partnership with L&G, the African Development Fund (ADF), and Global Sovereign Advisory.”
Solomon Quaynor, Vice President of the AfDB, described the deal as “a decisive step forward” for Togo’s visibility in international markets.
The transaction marks Togo’s first use of the Guarantor-of-Record structure, an innovation by the African Development Fund designed to increase financing availability for low-income countries.
This article was initially published in French by Ayi Renaud Dossavi
Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum