Mansoor Hamayun, co-founder of BBOXX, has joined Togo’s leadership team as an adviser to the President of the Council, Faure Gnassingbé. The Togolese Presidency announced Hamayun’s appointment on Friday, May 30, 2025, through an official press release.

Hamayun currently chairs Minexx, a company that builds sustainable and transparent supply chains for critical minerals. He brings deep experience in sustainable development, entrepreneurship, and public-private partnerships to Togo’s ambitious agenda.

Hamayun’s track record on the African continent stands out. Before Minexx, he co-founded BBOXX, a company that brought renewable energy to rural, underserved communities. Under his leadership, BBOXX delivered electricity to millions across a dozen African countries, sparking local economic growth.

Hamayun has a reputation for forging innovative partnerships with African governments. He focuses on inclusive, sustainable policies that address real needs. Throughout his career, Hamayun raised over $200 million in development capital to fund large-scale projects.

Togo expects Hamayun’s expertise to accelerate its flagship initiatives and drive progress in key sectors.

This article was initially published in French by Esaïe Edoh

Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum

Togo earned CFA122.8 billion from re-exporting petroleum products in 2023. The figure soared 64.6% compared to the previous year. The data, from BCEAO and INSEED, shows a sharp rise mainly through Togo’s port.

Gas oil re-exports exploded from CFA3.6 billion in 2022 to 54.4 billion in 2023—a staggering 1,400% jump.

Meanwhile, bitumen and motor oils dropped significantly. Jet fuel, once the top product, edged up 0.8% to CFA42.8 billion, mostly for ship and plane refueling.

During the period reviewed, Togo mostly shipped petroleum products to India, France, Nigeria, Ghana, Angola, and Gabon, according to the central bank. These exports helped Togo become a key trading partner for several West African countries, especially Gabon.

Despite growing competition from nearby ports, Lomé leverages its deepwater port and modern facilities to hold its place as a leading sub-regional logistics hub.

This article was initially published in French by Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum

Egypt will take center stage as the guest of honour at the 4th Aného International History Festival (FIHA), set for November 20-23, 2025. The festival’s organizing committee, led by Alexis Aquereburu, mayor of the Lacs 1 commune, made the announcement last Saturday in Aného.

Egypt, known as the land of the Pharaohs, will send a large delegation to showcase its rich culture, history, and arts. The event, now a major crossroads for heritage and cultural exchange, will also welcome the Togolese town of Bassar as a guest of honour.

This year’s festival theme is “Diversity.” Organisers promise a packed program blending science, arts, culture, and economics. The schedule features scientific symposiums, debates, panel discussions, concerts, an international carnival, live shows, and local performances.

Florent Tiassou, FIHA’s general commissioner, said, “Tradition will be respected,” adding that the festival will offer content that is both intellectual and popular. He called Egypt the cradle of a civilisation dating back thousands of years and a symbol of cultural, ethnic, and religious diversity.

Egyptian ambassador to Togo, Ahmed Mohamed Eid, confirmed Egypt’s enthusiastic participation. “Egypt will be at home in Aného. Festival-goers will discover our dances, our flavours and our films,” he said. The Egyptian delegation will include dance troupes, chefs, entrepreneurs, and filmmakers.

Bassar was chosen for its cultural and linguistic wealth. The town is famous for blacksmithing, yam farming, and fire dancing, and represents Togo’s living heritage in all its diversity.

This article was initially published in French by Esaïe Edoh

Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum

Togo conducted a comprehensive review of its national strategy for implementing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement. Launched in 2019, the strategy ran through to 2024.

The technical committee overseeing the AfCFTA strategy met from May 28 to 30 in Kpalimé to evaluate the document. Their goal was to assess the full implementation of the five-year action plan and prepare for its upcoming revision, given recent developments.

The evaluation highlighted the strategy’s strengths and weaknesses amid intense regional competition and measured how well priority actions were executed. Participants also examined the coherence and synergy of sectoral activities under the AfCFTA framework, offering recommendations to improve effectiveness.

They identified challenges, opportunities, and emerging issues, including those related to additional protocols, operational tools, and regional and global dynamics.

The Ministry of Commerce led the initiative with support from the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Adopted in 2019, Togo’s AfCFTA strategy targets key value chains such as agriculture, phosphate processing, oil production, and services including telecommunications, business services, finance, and tourism.

This article was initially published in French by Esaie Edoh

Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum

Togo sent a delegation of Ministry of Commerce officials and private sector leaders to Beijing last week. They attend an international seminar hosted by the Academy for International Business Officials (AIBO).

The group studied 0China’s cross-border e-commerce success, aiming to strengthen Togo’s digital economy.

Kokou Ananze Oganto, who led the delegation, said: “We must build an inclusive and competitive digital economy.” He praised the strong partnership between Togo and China, which began in 1972 and was reinforced at the 2024 FOCAC summit.

The visit comes as Lomé and Beijing deepen cooperation. They focus on digital trade frameworks, SME inclusion, and learning from China’s marketplace models.

Besides the seminar, the delegation will join related activities organized by the Chinese Embassy in Togo and Togo’s Ministry of Commerce, Handicrafts, and Local Consumption.

The government of Togo announced plans to raise CFA20 billion (approximately $34 million) through the issuance of short-term Treasury bills on the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UMOA) public securities market. The auction is scheduled for May 5, 2025.

The Treasury bills, known locally as fungible treasury bills (BATS), will mature in 182 days and carry a nominal value of CFA1 million each. The securities will be issued at varying interest rates, reflecting current market conditions.

Proceeds from the sale will help finance Togo’s national budget for 2025, which is balanced at nearly CFA2.4 trillion ($4 billion). Since the start of the year, Togo has already raised CFA209.5 billion about 63 percent of its annual borrowing target of CFA332 billion through regional debt markets.

This article was initially published in French by Esaïe Edoh

Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum

Togo kicked off the second edition of its National Week for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (SN-TPME) on Tuesday, May 27, 2025. The event, running until June 5, stretches across several cities and focuses on the theme: “Development and Competitiveness of Togolese TPMEs: Building Solutions for Sustainable Growth.”

Government officials and entrepreneurs gathered to tackle the big issues facing Togolese small businesses. Organizers want everyone to brainstorm and find ways to make these businesses more competitive and sustainable. This year, the event aims to rally support and address the structural challenges holding back the country’s entrepreneurs.

Minister of Grassroots Development, Youth and Youth Employment, Mazamesso Assih, urged participants to get involved. “It’s true that as a government, we can do things, but we can only do what corresponds to the needs that you yourselves identify and express,” she said. She reminded everyone that TPMEs make up more than 90% of Togo’s formal businesses.

The week features workshops, technical presentations, and roundtables. After opening in Greater Lomé, the SN-TPME caravan heads to Tsévié in the Maritime region on May 29 and 30. It then moves to Atakpamé for the Plateaux region on June 1 and 2, then Sokodé in the Central region on June 3 and 4, and finally Kara from June 3 to 5, covering both Kara and Savanes regions.

Organizations representing SMEs launched the national SME week in 2024. The event is quickly becoming a platform for dialogue, analysis, and real solutions. After the first edition, organizers identified major challenges and published them in a white paper. This document now guides some government actions to support the sector.

This article was initially published in French by Esaïe Edoh

Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum

Togolese authorities and European partners are increasing efforts to ensure the safe transportation of hazardous goods in Lomé, the Togolese capital. On May 27, Togolese officials launched a two-day symposium under the SAFETIC project, a European Union-funded project. The event focused on preventing, detecting, and managing nuclear, radiological, biological, and chemical (NRBC) risks.

The French Ministry for the Environment led this initiative, which wrapped up a strategic program combining two regional projects dating back to 2013. The main goal is clear: make industrial facilities safer and secure supply chains to support sustainable economic growth.

Colonel Aoufoh Koffi Dimizou, Secretary General of the Ministry of Environment and Forest Resources, stated, “Industrial risk management is a strategic challenge. Togo is resolutely committed to strengthening its prevention, detection, and response capabilities.”

The European Union praised Togo’s dedication. Stéphane Devaux, team leader at the EU delegation in Lomé, said, “The aim is to support partner countries in reducing CBRN threats, while supporting safer and sustainable economic development.”

The Africa Resilience Investment Accelerator (ARIA) platform will launch operations in Togo and Guinea. The move aligns with the pan-African platform’s ambition to increase private-sector investment in underserved “border economies.”

ARIA was founded in 2021 by British International Investment (BII) and Dutch bank FMO. Since then, the platform has mobilized over $50 million in various countries, including Benin, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Liberia.

ARIA’s expansion into Togo coincides with the integration of Proparco, the private sector arm of the French Development Agency (AFD), into the platform. Proparco’s integration aims to strengthen ARIA’s impact through three main strategies: geographic expansion, enhanced technical assistance, and a broader range of financing options.

“We are delighted to join the ARIA platform alongside FMO and BII. This partnership reflects our shared commitment to catalyze private investment where it is most needed. Proparco is ready to play an active role in increasing investment in the countries covered by ARIA, and to help build more resilient and dynamic economies,” said Françoise Lombard, CEO of Proparco.

For Togo’s private sector, ARIA’s arrival opens new opportunities for capital mobilization. ARIA identifies high-potential companies in sectors like agrifood, energy, and manufacturing that need between $5 million and $20 million in financing.

According to ARIA’s latest report, 128 analyzed companies expressed financing needs totaling $2 billion. Nearly half of this amount targets projects to reduce imports or boost local exports.

This article was initially published in French by Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum