The Togolese government plans to spend CFA4 billion in 2025 to compensate owners who were expropriated for the social housing project in Kpomé. This was announced by the Ministry of Urban Planning, Housing, and Land Reform before Parliament at the end of last year.

These funds are part of a larger project that will cover 1,177 hectares and provide 20,000 affordable housing units. According to the Minister, most compensation has already been paid, except for a few areas where some dispute remains.

The Kpomé social housing project has three main phases. The first phase included feasibility studies, technical validation, and market analysis with support from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and African Development Bank (AfDB). The second phase involved preparatory work like site demarcation and installing markers. The final phase will focus on building the housing units.

This last phase is expected to start in the coming months and will be managed by a property development company working with Shelter Afrique.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

This year, all 33 Togolese ministries will share a budget of CFA1,122 billion, up from CFA1,030 billion in 2024. The monies will fund 130 projects across the various ministries. Here are the five ministries with the biggest budgets:

1.  Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education: CFA183 billion  

The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education will receive CFA183 billion. This is thus the fifth time, in a row, that this ministry gets the lion’s share. This amount is CFA8 billion less than in 2024. Over the past five years, the budget has increased by 20% from CFA152 billion in 2021. Of this budget, CFA17 billion will be for operations, CFA106 billion for preschool and primary education, and CFA59 billion for secondary education. The funds will help improve the education system by hiring new teachers, training volunteers, and providing IT equipment for schools.

1.  Ministry of Armed Forces: CFA119 billion

The Ministry of Armed Forces is next, with CFA119 billion, slightly above last year’s budget. The CFA119 billion includes CFA10 billion for military strategy, against CFA33 billion in 2024, CFA62 billion FCFA for defense support, and CFA29 billion for purchasing modern equipment.

1. Ministry of Health: CFA114 billion

The Ministry of Health will have a budget of CFA114 billion in 2025, up 3.6% from CFA110 billion in 2024. The funds will finance the ministry’s efforts to provide quality healthcare to as many people as possible. In detail, CFA63 billion will improve healthcare services, and CFA26 billion will be used to fight diseases like malaria and tuberculosis. Additionally, CFA3 billion is earmarked for health emergencies, and about CFA16 billion will cover operating expenses.

1.  Ministry of Public Works: CFA92 billion

The Ministry of Public Works will see its budget rise by 8% to reach CFA92 billion in 2025, up from CFA85 billion in 2024. Most of this money will be used to develop the national road network. Specifically, CFA72 billion will go to road construction and rehabilitation, while CFA18 billion will serve for maintenance and CFA1 billion for planning and evaluation.

1. Ministry of Mines and Energy: CFA62 billion

The Ministry of Mines and Energy rounds out the top five with a budget of CFA62 billion, a 5% increase from last year's allocation of CFA59 billion. Nearly all of this budget will fund energy projects. For example, the funds will help expand the Blitta solar power plant’s capacity to 100 MW, launch the Sokodé PV plant project, and install solar street lamps projects. Additionally, CFA1 billion will help support and better monitor mining activities nationwide while CFA650 million will support the ministry's operations.

Esaïe Edoh  

Starting January 31, 2025, the Togolese Revenue Office (OTR) will stop using physical tax stamps. This decision, announced by OTR General Commissioner Philippe Kokou Tchodié, is part of a plan to digitize public services and make tax processes more efficient.

Taxpayers will now use electronic tax stamps, which can be purchased online or through the OTR’s collection windows. According to the OTR, this change will simplify administrative procedures and reduce risks related to handling physical stamps.

The move follows the recent digitization of the Motor Vehicle Tax (TVM) and is part of Togo's goal to digitize 75% of administrative procedures by 2025.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

The Togolese Ministry of Security and Civil Protection just launched an online platform to report police abuses. The platform was introduced on January 8. Users can anonymously report any misconduct, ranging from excessive use of force to arbitrary arrests.

Commenting on the development, Calixte Batossi, Minister of Security and Civil Protection, declared: “This initiative aims to encourage citizens to make their voices heard by reporting abuses, and the efforts of the authorities in promoting security that respects human rights.” The official added that the move would also help build trust between citizens and law enforcers.

The new platform can be accessed via Togo’s public services portal. The latter allows users to report various abuses and offers administrative services like entry permits and security coverage for events.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Lomé hosted a workshop on January 8 to validate Togo’s state of competition report.  Participants–economic and institutional leaders–discussed progress and challenges related to competition in the country.

The report was drawn with input from business, civil society, and public service representatives. It highlights the country's economic performance and the work of the national competition authority.

Atekpe Makiliwè, Director of Internal Trade, mentioned that 2024 focused on promoting competition and studying important sectors such as e-money transfers and e-commerce contributing to Togo's digital growth.

The recent meeting aligns with the standards of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU), which backed the report’s development. Ibrahim Tankari, an advisor to the WAEMU commission, lauded the Togolese government for protecting consumers while improving the economic environment.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

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Togo needs about 320 MW of electricity during peak evening hours, but it currently produces less than 200 MW. According to the Ministry of Mines and Energy, which disclosed the figures, the country fills the 120 MW gap with power purchased from Ghana and Nigeria.

To rely less on external sources, the Togolese government has been working on diversifying and securing its energy supplies. Key plans include building new renewable energy sources, like hydroelectric, biomass, and thermal plants. They also aim to reduce energy losses by improving high-voltage transmission systems. An energy efficiency plan has been created to help optimize consumption.

At a recent energy summit in Lomé, Prime Minister Victoire Tomegah-Dogbé announced that Togo is adding 137 MW of new renewable energy capacity as part of its transition efforts, with a focus on solar power, which is seen as accessible and affordable.

Fossil fuels are still part of the plan. Projects like liquefied natural gas (LNG) regasification platforms and storage batteries are being developed to help manage the intermittent nature of solar energy.

Major projects include a 250 MW combined-cycle thermal power plant, a 60 MW hydroelectric dam at Tététou, and smaller hydroelectric plants along with storage batteries.

Public authorities are still working to secure funding for these initiatives.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Togolese President Faure Gnassingbé attended the inauguration of John Dramani Mahama, Ghana’s new leader, on January 7, 2025. The Togolese presidency confirmed the news via a press release.

This visit shows Togo's commitment to strengthening ties with Ghana, especially in socio-economic and diplomatic areas.

In a previous meeting in Lomé, the two leaders discussed their cooperation on political, economic, and security issues at both national and West African levels.

Togo and Ghana share a border and have strong historical ties, leading to significant trade relations. In 2022, bilateral trade reached $188 million, in favor of Ghana. Togo had exported $75.2 million worth of goods to Ghana while importing $113.3 million. That year, Ghana was Togo's seventh-largest export market, making up 5.6% of Togo's total exports.

Besides trade, Togo and Ghana aim to maintain peace and good relations. This goal is important given the ongoing security and development challenges in the region.

Esaïe Edoh

Togo issued 101,600 visas in 2023, according to the Direction Générale de la Documentation Nationale (DGDN). The figure was recently presented to the National Assembly.

The number represents nearly 6.7% of all entries into Togo in 2023. That year, the country officially recorded 1.52 million entries. The visitors included tourists, and businesspeople, among others. Some visitors were just in transit.

The Togolese government seeks to issue even more visas in the coming years. It expects the number to stand at 120,000 in 2024 (or 20% more than in 2023) and reach 170,000 by 2027.

To hit these milestones, Togolese authorities will improve cooperation with immigration services for better monitoring and processing of visa applications. Another strategy is to promote Togo’s strong economic advantages and cultural assets.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi