Togo: Datcha’s Old Textile Factory Comes Back to Life with CFA6B Investment

Economic governance

Tuesday, 29 April 2025 10:05

Togo: Datcha’s Old Textile Factory Comes Back to Life with CFA6B Investment

(Togo First) - Datcha’s old textile giant, TOGOTEX, roars back to life. Canadian firm Logistik Unicorp, through its Benart Afrique subsidiary, now owns the factory, which is located 160 kilometers north of Lomé. Last week, Prime Minister Victoire Tomégah-Dogbé inaugurated the facility and declared the rebirth of this symbol of Togolese industry.

The project’s revival required a CFA6 billion investment. The factory, active since October 2023, produces professional, civilian, and military uniforms. Owners want to make it a reference in Togo and West Africa.

“Our ambition goes beyond national borders. Benart Afrique aims to become a regional centre of excellence, capable of meeting the needs of African countries in terms of professional, civil, and military clothing,” says Dominique Kokou Zotoglo, Managing Director of Benart Afrique.

Since resuming activity, the factory has produced over 30,000 military uniforms and more than 60,000 total items. The plant has created over 300 direct jobs–85% of which were secured by women–and more than 600 indirect jobs.

Le 25 avril, j’ai inauguré l’usine Benart Afrique, qui confectionne désormais les tenues militaires, les uniformes de nos forces de défense et de sécurité, ainsi que d’autres tenues professionnelles.

Un renouveau pour le secteur du textile dans notre pays, notamment à Datcha,… pic.twitter.com/0BH8X6foPq
— Victoire Dogbe (@DogbeVictoire) April 26, 2025

The revival fits the government’s push for local processing and skilled jobs. The project enjoys incentives from Togo’s new free zone for textiles and clothing, launched in December 2022.

“Benart Afrique is one of the first industrial projects to have benefited from this scheme, confirming its attractiveness,” says Manuella Santos Modukpè, Minister for Industry and Investment Promotion. “The revival of the Datcha factory is a concrete illustration of Togo’s national industrial recovery strategy.”

This article was initially published in French by Esaïe Edoh

Edited in English by Ola Schad Akinocho

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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.