The deep-sea harbour in the capital Lomé makes the small West African country (population around nine million) a sought-after logistics location. In addition, the government is systematically expanding the infrastructure, which is already in good condition by regional standards. The focus here is on transport and energy in particular.
Positive developments include the expansion of value chains in the agricultural and textile sectors. For example, the cultivation and processing of cotton is making progress. Other important export products are refined petroleum, electricity, soya beans and other foodstuffs.
Togo is seeking investments from Germany and close cooperation. The country is politically stable and secure, although the political system has authoritarian tendencies. The obstacles to investment include corruption and a banking sector that functions poorly in some cases.
Economy. According to the IMF, the economy grew by 5.3 per cent in 2024. For this year and 2026, economists predict growth rates of 5.3 and 5.5 per cent. The gross domestic product per capita rose in the last 20 years from the equivalent of 560 to 986 US-Dollars. Inflation recently stood at 2.7 per cent and is expected to fall to 2.0 per cent this year. National debt has reached around 66.5 per cent of GDP.
Population. Togo has around 9.3 million inhabitants; the population grows with an annual rate of around 2.2 per cent. Since 2003, the fertilty rate has fallen from 5.0 to 4.2 children per woman. Life expectancy was at 63 years recently (twenty years ago: 56). Around 60 per cent of the population has access to electricity (twenty years ago: 26 per cent).
Governance. On Transparency International’s latest Corruption Perceptions Index, Togo ranks 121th out of 180 countries. With a score of 32 points (two points more than 2022), Togo is on a par with countries such as Angola, Ecuador and Kenya.