Togo, French Institutions Team Up to Expand Agricultural Engineering Training

Training

Wednesday, 17 June 2026 13:17

Togo, French Institutions Team Up to Expand Agricultural Engineering Training

(Togo First) - The SIGMA Scientific Group, based in Lomé, and France's École Supérieure des Agricultures (ESA) signed an academic cooperation agreement in Lomé on June 15, 2026. The partnership aims to train agricultural engineers in Togo who can help drive Africa's agricultural, food-system and environmental transition.

The partnership will become operational at the start of the 2026-2027 academic year. Under the agreement, the SIGMA Scientific Group will offer a preparatory program for students pursuing agricultural engineering studies, helping meet growing demand for qualified professionals in Togo and across West Africa.

As part of the collaboration, ESA will contribute academic expertise by sharing curriculum frameworks, providing faculty training and taking part in examination boards.

The program will be structured in two phases. The first phase, a two-year preparatory cycle, will focus on strengthening students' scientific foundations while introducing them to agriculture, livestock production and food systems.

Students who successfully complete this stage will be eligible to enroll in ESA's three-year engineering degree program. Upon graduation, they will receive an agricultural engineering degree.

The initiative supports the Togolese government's efforts to train more than 2,000 engineers across various sectors between 2026 and 2030. That objective is supported in part by the Science, Technology and Education for Leadership from Lomé for Africa (STELLA) project, which is backed by CFA13 billion in funding from Luxembourg.

The SIGMA Scientific Group is a science-focused educational institution comprising a middle school, a high school and preparatory programs. Established in 2018, it seeks to train a new generation of scientists, engineers, researchers and decision-makers capable of addressing contemporary challenges.

As part of that mission, the institution already maintains partnerships with the University of Lomé and France's CESI Engineering School under a framework agreement signed in March 2025.

Esaïe Edoh

REFORMS OVERVIEW

STARTING A BUSINESS (more info)

At the fifteenth position, worldwide, and first in Africa, under the Starting a Business index of the 2020 Doing Business ranking, Togo sustains its reformative dynamics with more reforms….

ENFORCING CONTRACTS (more info)

Compared to some years ago when it was one of the lowest rankers under the Doing Business’ Enforcing Contracts indicator, Togo, leveraging many efforts to improve its business climate, was able to jump significantly on the index in the recent years... .

CONTRACT EXECUTION (more info)

Creation of special chambers of commerce for small debts • Creation of chambers of commerce at the Court of Appeal • Civil and commercial cases now handled by distinct clerks • Establishment of commercial courts in Lomé and Kara • Lawyers and bailiffs now have access to the FORSETI COMMERCIAL platform • A maximum period of 100 days was fixed to settle a commercial dispute .

TRADING ACROSS BORDERS (more info)

In comparison to previous years,Togo has significantly improved its ranking under the“Trading across borders” indicator by adopting multiple reforms that focus mainly on the digitization and reduction in delays, for import and export procedures related to import and export.

In comparison to previous years, Togo has significantly improved its ranking on the “Trading across borders” index by adopting multiple reforms that focus mainly on the digitalization and reduction in delays, for import and export procedures related to import and export.

CONSTRUCTION PERMIT (more info)

After moving from the 133rd to 127th place under the 2020 Doing Business’ construction permit index, Togo intends to reiterate this feat in the coming edition of the global ranking. To this end, it has introduced this year multiple reforms.

GETTING ELECTRICITY (more info)

Over the past two years, Togo’s ranking under the Doing Business’ Getting electricity and water indicator has increased consistently. Owing this performance to multiple reforms aimed at making it easier for businesses to access power and water, Lomé plans to introduce even more reforms this year to keep up its improvements.

REGISTERING A PROPERTY (more info)

Out of all the 'Doing Business’ indicators, Property Registration is where Togo has improved the most since 2018. Indeed, after spending years in the lowest part of this ranking, the country now seeks to beat Rwanda which is the best performer on this index in Africa. To do so, Lomé has been introducing many reforms, with the latest batch implemented this year.

PUBLIC PROCUREMENT (more info)

From professionalization to digitization, through legislative regulations, Togo’s public procurement framework is constantly being modernized. Several reforms have been implemented to improve the sector much to the benefit of the private sector, which is the focus of the National Development Plan.

PAYING TAXES AND DUTIES (more info)

To improve its business environment, Togo introduced some important reforms related to the payment of tax and duties. From the replacement of some taxes to the cancellation of others through exemptions, the country has only one objective: offer the most attractive tax framework to investors and economic operators. To achieve this, the authorities relied on digitization.