• Togo creates National Geographic Institute by ministerial decree

• Reform grants legal, financial autonomy to new body

• Institute to modernize geographic data for development planning

Togo’s government on Thursday established the National Geographic Institute of Togo (INGT) through a decree adopted at a Council of Ministers meeting, transforming the existing Directorate-General of Geographic Information into a public institution with legal personality and administrative and financial autonomy.

The reform seeks to address structural bottlenecks that have constrained the production of reliable data. “The production of reliable data remains hampered by the technical and institutional limitations of the current framework,” the Council said in a statement.

Under the new framework, the institute will coordinate the collection and dissemination of geographic data. It is also expected to help the country keep pace with advances in cartographic technologies and evolving sector standards, while improving operational efficiency and aligning more closely with regional and international frameworks.

Authorities view geographic data as strategic for spatial planning, land administration and infrastructure development. Economically, the government expects broader spillover effects. The INGT is designed to provide a dedicated body capable of producing reliable data and supporting socioeconomic development through the modernization of geolocation, digitization and land management tools.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi, with Togo First