The Togolese government wants to improve the issuance of building permits and strengthen the Construction Inspection Commission(CITC). The Ministry of Urban Planning, Housing, and Land Reform held a workshop with this focus on November 3, 2024.

The meeting included various stakeholders, such as the Ministries of Territorial Administration and Security, and construction professionals. The goal was to address challenges related to unregulated construction that threaten safety and urban development in the country.

Participants discussed ways to enhance access to building permits and agreed on the need for a digital system and better collaboration among relevant departments. Akidjetan Kossi Makissè, President of CITC, noted that only a licensed architect can design a project to ensure quality and compliance.

This initiative aims to regulate construction projects more effectively and improve living conditions in Togo while preventing disasters. The meeting followed a deadly accident on October 18, 2024, when a building under construction collapsed in the Sagbado district of Lomé.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

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A training workshop for agricultural product certification opened on November 4, 2024, in Lomé, Togo. The event aims to improve certification procedures in the agricultural sector and is organized by the High Authority for Quality and the Environment (HAUQE) in partnership with the Togolese Accreditation Committee (COTAG) and the West African Food System Resilience Program (FSRP-Togo).

Over six days, participants will learn how to certify products according to ISO 22000 standards. 35 people involved in certification are attending the training. The latter covers cover international standards for product validation and sampling techniques based on Acceptable Quality Level (AQL). 

Koffivi Lakoussan, General Manager of COTAG, stated, “This training of certification players will enable us to implement the food safety management system.” He also urged small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to pursue certification, emphasizing that “ in the current context of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), it is an obligation to comply with standards to be competitive on the market ”.

This initiative is backed by the Food System Resilience Program in West Africa (FSRP Togo), funded by the World Bank. It follows the launch of a standardization process for agri-food products by the Agence Togolaise de Normalisation (ATN) last October.

Esaïe Edoh

Lomé is hosting a regional workshop focused on the response to nuclear security incidents at facilities. The five-day workshop kicked off on November 4. Co-organized by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Togo, it aims to develop strategies for preventing, detecting, and responding to threats related to nuclear and radioactive materials.

Participants-national and regional experts-are exploring new methods for handling nuclear security events, whether involving materials in storage or in use.  The experts are also looking at real case studies, doing practical exercises, and sharing their experiences, to enhance coordination among various stakeholders in nuclear safety.

At the opening ceremony, Wotobe Kokou Marin, Secretary General of the Togolese Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene, emphasized that nuclear safety is a government responsibility that protects society and the environment. He pointed out that in today's global context, particularly in Africa, the risk of criminal or unauthorized use of nuclear materials cannot be ignored.

Marin noted that as many African countries pursue peaceful applications of nuclear science and technology to bridge the technology gap, the number of nuclear facilities on the continent is expected to increase. This growth brings a heightened risk of nuclear safety incidents. "We need to be even more prepared than countries that have had these technologies for several decades and are certainly already prepared," he said.

Since becoming an IAEA member in 2012, Togo has strengthened its institutional framework by establishing the Autorité Nationale de Sûreté et de Sécurité Nucléaire (ANSSN) in 2020.

The fifth International Fair of Banks and Enterprises (Salon International des Banques et des Entreprises orSIBE) opened today in Togo. Hosted at the Exhibition and Trade Fair Center (CETEF Togo), the fair ends on November 9. This year’s theme is “The Role and Impact of SMEs in the Economy of WAEMU countries.”

The SIBE aims to serve as a hub for business, emphasizing skill transfer and partnership development between financial institutions and economic operators, both national and international. 

The event will include exhibitions, banking and business days, conference debates, and business meetings. Organized by Image Consortium, the SIBE seeks to boost the Togolese economy, enhance banking coverage, and attract foreign investment.

Last year, the fair attracted around 1,000 participants from various sectors including banking, microfinance, financial institutions, insurance, and SMEs.

In Africa, Togo ranks fifth among countries implementing the United Nations' MDG 4, which focuses on ensuring access to education for all. The country was ranked in the Mo Ibrahim Foundation's “Financing Africa” report. This document assesses African countries’ financing needs to achieve development and climate goals.

In West Africa, Togo ranks second, scoring 80.1 points. It trails behind Ghana, which scored 84.5 points and surpasses countries like Cape Verde (78.6), Gambia (51.5), Benin (57.3), Senegal (31.7), and Nigeria (38.8).

Togolese authorities view this score as a recognition of their efforts in educational reform, including introducing free basic education and enhancing school infrastructure. However, the score also highlights the challenges that remain to meet the standards of higher-ranked countries.

Cyber Defense Africa (CDA) seeks a firm to build its headquarters in Togo. CDA launched the related tender last week.

The facility will span 1,000 square meters and is expected to be completed within nine months. It will include structural work, plumbing, electrical installations, and solar panels. The new headquarters will enhance CDA's visibility and efficiency and serve as the operational center for Togo's National Cybersecurity Incident Response Center (CERT).

This initiative is part of a broader national strategy to improve cybersecurity and safeguard citizens' data.

Founded in September 2019, the CDA is a simplified joint-stock company with a capital of CFA1.965 billion. It was created through a partnership between the Republic of Togo and Asseco Data Systems S.A. (ADS). The CDA protects the State’s information systems, inside and outside the country.

The Togolese Ministry of Finance is launching a contest to recruit new personnel today. Gilbert Bawara, the Minister of Civil Service, announced the contest last week. On the same occasion, the official revealed the cancellation of the national civil service recruitment competition that began on January 22, 2020.

Applications for the new recruitment can be submitted until November 29, 2024. Candidates can submit their applications at the Ministry of Finance in Lomé and at the regional directorates of Labor and Social Laws in Kara and Dapaong. Written exams for the contest are scheduled for December 21, 2024, according to a press release dated October 31, 2024.

Candidates who participated in the previous competition and wish to reapply are exempt from submitting a new application and paying the release fee. However, they must confirm their application in person.

Exceptions will be made to the age requirement as outlined in the opening decree. Details about participating in the competition will be published in the national daily Togo-Presse and on the Ministry of the Civil Service's website.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Togo’s Lacs 1 municipality, which includes Aného, 40 km east of Lomé, has raised CFA206.9 million between January and September 2024. This is 50.92% of the amount initially targeted–CFA406.4 million.

The performance was one of the major issues discussed during the 3rd ordinary consultation meeting of the Communal Revenue Monitoring Committee. According to the ATOP, the meeting was held on October 29 in Aného. Local stakeholders gathered to discuss strategies for mobilizing revenue and related challenges. 

They also reviewed taxes, particularly those related to boats and fuel dispensing pumps, to maximize municipal revenue. Participants emphasized the importance of raising taxpayer awareness about their tax obligations.

During the meeting, local councilor Lawson Laté Kpekui commended attendees’ commitment to sustainable development initiatives carried out by municipal authorities. Last June, the municipality launched a census of its taxpayers; a move aimed at boosting tax collection across the municipality.

The Lacs 1 municipality has significant economic development potential, particularly in tourism and transit trade, as it serves as Togo's entry and exit point with Benin along the Abidjan-Lagos corridor.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Sandra Johnson, the Minister and Secretary General of the Presidency of Togo, and Sergio Pimenta, Vice-President of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) for Africa, met to discuss the progress of projects funded by the IFC in Togo. The meeting occurred during the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank General Meetings held in Washington.

Among the projects discussed was internet connectivity in Togo. The IFC provided financing to Togocom through the Axian group. They also reviewed investments in the Zener group in the energy sector and support for Gozem in the mobility sector.

The discussions included a project to build 3,000 housing units in Togo by Shelter Afrique, as well as the upcoming launch of Star Garments Group Limited's operations, supported by IFC financing at the Plateforme industrielle d'Adétikopé (PIA). Star Garments Group Ltd. is a subsidiary of the American company Charles Komar & Sons.

Johnson and Pimenta also explored prospects for supporting the agri-food sector. The IFC plans to address the financing needs of agricultural micro and medium enterprises (VSEs) through leasing. To this end, the Fund will partner with local banks and investors. The project is valued at $100 million and should run from 2024 to 2030.

Esaïe Edoh