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publication September 8, 2020

Economic Update for Togo: The Coronavirus Is Exerting Pressure on the Economy

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STORY HIGHLIGHTS

  • The first Economic Update for Togo, published today, projects a significant decline in growth as a result of the crisis brought on by the coronavirus pandemic
  • The study recommends deeper reforms aimed at improving the business climate and promoting private investment, which is essential for economic recovery
  • Development of Togo¡¯s digital economy would make the country¡¯s economy more competitive and resilient

³¢°¿²Ñ·¡,&²Ô²ú²õ±è;°Õ°¿³Ò°¿,&²Ô²ú²õ±è;³§±ð±è³Ù±ð³¾²ú±ð°ù&²Ô²ú²õ±è;8,&²Ô²ú²õ±è;2020¡ª This commercial district in the capital paid a high price for the curfew imposed by the government to curb the spread of the virus. At 7 p.m., bars, open-air restaurants, shops, and supermarkets lowered their shutters, giving this area traditionally known for its bustling nightlife the appearance of a ghost town. ¡°We usually make most of our money in the evening and at night. The curfew is therefore causing us to lose a tremendous amount of revenue¡±, said Marc, the manager of an open-air restaurant along the boulevard. 

Downward Trends

Businesspersons are not the only ones affected by this situation. The entire Togolese economy is paralyzed, as indicated in the World Bank¡¯s first Economic Update for Togo, published today. The report  (F), stresses that the COVID-19 pandemic could wipe out four-fifths of Togo¡¯s projected growth in 2020.

¡°We are seeing a decline in production and sales in a host of sectors, particularly in those where telework is not possible, such as manufacturing, retail trade, construction, and tourism. Roughly 62% of jobs are affected¡ª49% in the service sector and 13% in the industrial sector¡±, said Urbain Thierry Yogo, Senior Economist at the World Bank in Togo and co-author of the report. ¡°The number of employees at retail sale and leisure locations has declined by 30% and the number of persons going to their workplaces, by 12% relative to pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels.¡± 

Small and medium enterprises have been particularly hard hit. According to the report, 41% of enterprises in the agricultural and agribusiness sector experienced a 75% to 100% decline in their sales, as did 33% of enterprises in the tourism sector, 36% in the manufacturing sector, and 35% in the transport and logistics sector.

 ¡°The analysis of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Togolese economy is based on two scenarios. One is an optimistic scenario of a short-lived health crisis, and the other, which is more likely, is a scenario in which the health crisis stretches beyond a nine-month period, in which case growth in 2020 could plummet to 1% in the best case scenario and the budget deficit could be 5.7% of GDP¡±,  noted Urbain Thierry Yogo. The report recommends that the government provide greater financial assistance to the most vulnerable households and enterprises to stimulate economic recovery.

Boosting Private Investment and Accelerating Reforms 

High taxation and difficulties in accessing financing are the main obstacles to private sector development.  This perception stems from a high concentration of revenue derived from a small number of tax instruments and a limited number of taxpayers. Despite the dramatic increase in bank loans to finance investment in recent years, 51.3% of enterprises were still using their own funds to finance their investments in 2018. 

The report also recommends the acceleration of measures aimed at boosting private investment and removing the obstacles to private sector development, particularly as the national development plan focuses on an annual increase in private investment of 17% between 2018 and 2022, compared to an increase in this investment of only 11% per year between 2010 and 2018. Continued efforts to improve the quality of infrastructure and services in the energy and telecommunications sectors are also critical. 


"The government and the private sector can act as catalysts for the growth of digital enterprises and facilitate the development of a more competitive and prosperous Togolese economy"
Hawa Ciss¨¦ Wagu¨¦
World Bank Resident Representative for Togo

The Underutilized Potential of the Digital Economy 

The report devotes a special chapter to the issue of the digital economy in Togo. The country has a young urban population (60% of the population is under age 25) with ever-increasing access to new technologies, a mobile adoption rate of 36.8%, and a burgeoning innovation ecosystem. However, 

The report proposes a series of measures aimed at taking full advantage of the potential of the digital economy:

  • Improve entrepreneurship training and provide greater assistance to startups;

  • Create markets for digital entrepreneurs;

  • Facilitate the expansion of digital enterprises in West Africa;

  • Close the seed financing gap for digital startups;

  • Continue policy and regulatory reforms;

  • Develop the digital infrastructure and platforms that are essential to reduce access costs in the sector.

¡°The government and the private sector can act as catalysts for the growth of digital enterprises and facilitate the development of a more competitive and prosperous Togolese economy¡±, concluded Hawa Ciss¨¦ Wagu¨¦, the World Bank Resident Representative for Togo.