Doing Business in the Togolese Republic

Subject (Course): International Trade and Business in Togo. Port of Lomé.

Syllabus:

1. Introduction to the Togolese Republic (West Africa).
2. Doing Business in Lomé.
3. Togolese economy
4. International Trade of Togo
5. Case Study:
     - Autonomous Port of Lomé
     - Togo Free Zone
6. Business and Investment Opportunities in Togo
7. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Togo
8. Introduction to French
9. Access to the Togolese market
10. Business Plan for Togo

Objectives of the subject “Doing Business in the Togolese Republic”:

1. To analyse the Togolese economy and foreign trade
2. To evaluate business opportunities in the Togolese Republic
3. To explore Togo's trade relations with the student's country
4. To know Togo's Free Trade Agreements (FTAs)
5. To develop a business plan for the Togolese market

Sample of the subject - Doing Business in Togo

Subject Description: Foreign Trade and Business in Togo - Lomé

The Togolese Republic: phosphates, agriculture, and the Port of Lomé.

Strategic position in West African. Access to West African landlocked countries.

1. The Togolese Republic (6,580,000 people) enjoys a strategic position in the West African region.
2. Togolese Population: 6.3 millions of people
3. Area: 56,785 square kilometres
4. The capital of Togo: Lomé (1,570,283 people)
5. The second important Togolese city: Sokodé
6. The official language: French
7. Independence: 1960
8. Togo shares borders with Burkina Faso, Benin, and Ghana.

The main religions of Togo: Christianity and Islam (20% of the population, 1.1 million).

Togo belongs to the West African Economic Area of the African Civilisation.

The economy of Togo:

1. Two pillars of the Togolese economy are the agricultural sector (cotton, coffee, and cocoa) and the phosphate industry.
2. Togo is self-sufficient in export agricultural products.
3. Port of Lomé is one of the largest in West Africa and one of safest port and most efficient port in the Gulf of Guinea.
4. Agriculture: 65% of labour force
5. Cotton, coffee, and cocoa represent 40% of the total Togolese exports.
6. Top trade partners: Burkina Faso, Ghana, the Netherlands, Benin, Mali, and Ivory Coast
7. Most dynamic Togolese sectors: retail, transport, and communications
8. Togo is the fourth larger producer of phosphate in the World.
9. Togolese Currency: Franc CFA
10. Togolese GDP growth: 6.0%
    1. The primary sector: 52 % of GDP
    2. Services: 32% of GDP
    3. The inflation: 2.3%

Togo Telecom is a corporation created by the split of the OPTT two State-owned companies. It is governed by Act No. 90-26 of December 4, 1990, to reform the legal and institutional framework for Public Enterprises. It has a legal personality and financial autonomy, with a capital of 4 billion CFA francs.

Dakar-Lagos Corridor

Togo has preferential access to

1. Community of Sahel-Saharan States (CEN-SAD)
2. Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)
3. West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU)
4. US WAEMU Trade Agreement
5. The United States markets: African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA)
6. The European Union markets: Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) and the Cotonou Agreement

The Togolese Republic is a member of:

1. New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD)
2. African Development Bank
3. Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)
4. African Union (AU) - Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption
5. Organisation for the Harmonisation of Business Law in Africa (OHADA)
6. Summit Africa (Togo)-America
7. Africa (Togo)-Asia Strategic Partnership
8. Afro-Arab cooperation
9. Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA)
10. Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)
11. Islamic Development Bank
12. Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency