• Togo launches TogoTech to unify and support 15 digital startups
• Platform aims to boost innovation, jobs, and public-private collaboration
• Deals signed to enhance cybersecurity and legal support for tech firms
  

TogoTech, a new platform bringing together about 15 Togolese technology startups, was officially launched on October 24 under the supervision of Digital Transformation Minister Cina Lawson. The event, announced earlier by TogoFirst, gathered private-sector representatives, entrepreneurs, and partners, including Germany’s GIZ.

“We, Togolese digital entrepreneurs, want to speak with one voice and build an environment that fosters innovation, job creation, and competitiveness,” said Gaëlle Matina Egbidi, president of TogoTech.

The platform’s member startups collectively report more than 2 billion CFA francs in revenue and around 100 direct jobs. TogoTech aims to turn the country’s digital economy into a driver of growth and innovation by strengthening cooperation between startups, public institutions, and investors.

During the launch, two partnership agreements were signed: one with Cyber Defense Africa to bolster cybersecurity, and another with the law firm Acquereburu & Partners to provide a reliable legal framework for digital businesses.

Minister Lawson described the creation of TogoTech as “an act of maturity” for the sector. “This event marks an important step in structuring Togo’s tech and startup ecosystem. It reflects the maturity of a generation of entrepreneurs determined to contribute actively to the country’s digital transformation,” she said.

For the GIZ, a key partner through its ProDigiT program, TogoTech represents the culmination of a long process to organize the private tech sector. “Three years ago, there was no association able to represent the digital private sector in Togo. Today, we finally have a strong voice for startups,” said Bettina Maier Neme, Project Manager at GIZ. The German agency plans to continue supporting both TogoTech and the national digital agency, Togo Digital, to strengthen collaboration between startups and public institutions.

Edem Adjamagbo, TogoTech’s vice president and founder of fintech firm SEMOA, emphasized the need to build credibility in the local digital industry. “Our message is simple: we need a policy that supports national champions based on performance. When a local solution does better, faster, and at the right cost, it should be prioritized,” he said.

TogoTech’s members include well-known players such as ride-hailing firm Gozem, fintech company SEMOA, digital construction startup Édolé, and others such as Solimi, MiaPay, Kondjigbalé, Anaxar, and Clinicaa, which operate in fields ranging from digital health to logistics and electronic payments.

In the medium term, the platform plans to expand its network to include new startups and deepen partnerships with international organizations. “Togo’s digital sector now speaks with one voice. We are moving toward a stronger, more structured, and competitive ecosystem,” Egbidi said, calling on other startups to join the initiative and “shape the country’s digital future together.”

Ayi Renaud Dossavi