Togo: Domestic debt – the government reassures the private sector after years of tension
The settlement of domestic debt stood at the heart of discussions between Togo’s private sector and the government on Monday, July 6, 2026, in Lomé, during the meeting of the State-Private Sector Consultation Committee (CCESP). A crucial gathering, as economic operators have been demanding for months the payment of arrears that are strangling their cash flows.
Speaking on behalf of the business community, the President of the National Council of Employers (CNP), Laurent Coami Tamégnon, welcomed the progress in public-private dialogue while identifying four priority issues.
At the top of the list: the settlement of domestic debt, but also the establishment of appeals committees, the definitive resolution of the TETIC tax (Tax on Telecommunications, Internet, and Electronic Communication Enterprises), and the increase in land rents in the port zone.
Business representatives once again called on the government to accelerate payments, arguing that this debt continues to weigh heavily on their investments and growth.
The numbers illustrate the scale of the problem. As of December 2025, the domestic debt stock stood at 2,244.31 billion CFA francs, or 32.08% of GDP. This represents a 7.74% decrease from 2024, when it reached 2,432.56 billion CFA francs.
This decline is explained by reduced mobilization on the regional market, as the government prioritized external borrowing.
Over five years, however, the progression remains spectacular, rising from 1,848.5 billion CFA francs in 2021 to over 2,244 billion in 2025, with interest and commissions paid approaching 130 billion CFA francs.
Faced with the employers’ concerns, Finance Minister Essowè Georges Barcola sought to reassure. “This constitutes a brake on the development of your businesses.
We have begun a settlement process, and I assure you that these efforts will continue so that this issue is resolved by the end of the year,” he stated.
The minister also announced the upcoming establishment of appeals committees for the resolution of administrative and tax disputes, while considering the TETIC file now closed.
Beyond these issues, participants examined the national economic situation and the challenges of the climate transition.
Authorities highlighted the resilience of Togo’s economy and called on businesses to better integrate environmental criteria to access green financing and strengthen their competitiveness. A message of hope for a private sector that now awaits concrete actions.
Kodjovi Makafui
