Gozem in talks to secure €21 million from IFC to fund expansion

Transport

Tuesday, 28 April 2026 17:57

Gozem in talks to secure €21 million from IFC to fund expansion

(Togo First) - Gozem, the fintech and mobility platform launched in Togo in 2018, is in talks to secure €21 million in funding from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private-sector arm of the World Bank Group.

The funding would support the company’s expansion in Togo, Benin, Cameroon and Congo.

The financing would include an €8 million direct IFC loan, an €8 million subordinated loan backed by concessional IDA21 resources, and €5 million raised from other investors.

The funds would be used between 2026 and 2028 to finance the acquisition of motorcycles, tricycles and cars, while expanding the “Drive-to-Buy” program.

The program allows drivers to gradually acquire their vehicles through payments spread over 12 to 52 months. Repayments are deducted from drivers’ earnings on the platform.

Togo remains a key market for Gozem, where the company launched its first operations before expanding across the region. In 2022, the company raised $10 million to finance vehicles for 6,000 drivers in Togo and Benin.

Beyond urban transport, Gozem is developing delivery and digital payment services through Gozem Money, as consumer habits rapidly digitize.

According to the company, nearly 12 million drivers operated in the motorcycle-taxi segment in West and Central Africa in 2022. Gozem says it has completed more than 30 million trips and built a user base of nearly one million.

The funding round could strengthen Lomé’s position as a base for regional expansion, as Togo seeks to attract more investment in the digital economy.

R.E.D

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.