Togo/ CIZO initiative: A sovereign push for rural electrification
In a continent where rural electricity access remains a critical challenge, Togo is making a decisive break with the past through its flagship CIZO initiative. This presidential program for rural solar electrification is framed not as a technical project, but as an act of national sovereignty, aiming to provide every citizen with the fundamental right to energy.
Moving beyond aid dependency, CIZO embodies a vision where energy is a lever for social and economic transformation.
By adopting an affordable, individual solar kit model, Togo is pursuing an endogenous and inclusive development path, leveraging its natural resources for public empowerment.
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The impact of this program extends beyond light bulbs. It has fostered a new socio-economic ecosystem, creating over 5,000 direct jobs, training 3,000 technicians, and electrifying 290 health centers.
The introduction of the “CIZO Cheque,” a subsidy for vulnerable households, underscores a commitment to territorial equality, ensuring rural families have the same fundamental access as urban dwellers.
CIZO is ultimately a political declaration: a state choosing to stand on its own feet, illuminate its villages, and build a self-reliant future. In lighting its rural areas, Togo is positioning itself as a model for a brighter, more sovereign Africa.
Kodjovi Makafui
