Togo Secures $200 Million World Bank Financing to Modernize Road and Rail Transport

Transport

Tuesday, 23 June 2026 18:46

Togo Secures $200 Million World Bank Financing to Modernize Road and Rail Transport

(Togo First) - Togo has secured $200 million from the World Bank Group for the Logistics and Transport Services Improvement Program (PASLT), aimed at strengthening the country's competitiveness as a regional logistics hub.

The program is structured around three components. The first focuses on rehabilitating the railway line linking the Port of Lomé and the Adétikopé Industrial Platform (PIA) to enable the transport of containers by rail. Located 27 kilometers (17 miles) north of the capital, the PIA has been operational since January 2022. It can accommodate up to 12,500 containers and serves neighboring landlocked countries.

The second component focuses on improving urban mobility in Greater Lomé, particularly by reducing chronic congestion around the port.

The third focuses on strengthening connectivity between high-productivity agricultural regions and local, regional, and international markets, particularly in the Kara, Savanes, Plateaux, and Plaine de Mô regions.

Expected Impact

According to the World Bank, about 2.2 million residents of Greater Lomé will benefit from improved public transportation services and reduced pollution from heavy trucks.

In rural areas, around 400,000 people, including 51% women, are expected to gain easier access to basic services and economic opportunities.

The program also aims to reduce post-harvest losses and improve the competitiveness of agro-industrial value chains by improving access to production zones. The infrastructure financed under the program will be designed to withstand the effects of climate change, the World Bank said.

"This program represents a major strategic opportunity for Togo to strengthen its position as West Africa's leading transport and logistics hub, leveraging the Port of Lomé as a strategic asset. It will help stimulate job creation, support value chain development, and strengthen the country's ability to attract high-quality private investment," said Tony Verheijen, the World Bank Group's Resident Representative in Togo.

A Broader Partnership Context

The financing is part of a broader partnership between Lomé and the World Bank Group, whose portfolio in Togo stood at $1.49 billion as of March 2026.

In December 2025, the institution had already approved $150 million to support private investment and employment.

At the sector level, transport and logistics are one of the two priorities identified under the Country Partnership Framework (CPF) 2025-2029, alongside agriculture.

The Port of Lomé, the only deep-water port on the West African coast, handled 1.9 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in 2023, up from 311,500 in 2013.

The rehabilitation of the Lomé-PIA rail link is expected to support this growth while easing pressure on the road network, which is estimated at nearly 12,000 kilometers (7,456 miles), a significant portion of which is in poor condition.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

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