The World Bank’s Women, Business and the Law 2026 report ranks Togo as Africa’s second-best performer on gender equality in economic rights. With a score of 79.33 out of 100, the country outpaces several of the continent’s largest economies and leads both ECOWAS and WAEMU on this measure.

Togo ranks second in Africa in the World Bank’s Women, Business and the Law 2026 report, which assesses 190 economies on women’s economic rights. Among the 54 African countries evaluated, it trails Mauritius (82.30) and ranks ahead of Côte d'Ivoire (78.25).

The result is notable because this edition applies a more stringent methodology. For the first time, the report goes beyond laws on the books. It also evaluates how those laws are implemented and the institutions meant to enforce them.

Perfect scores in four key areas

On the legal front, Togo scored 100 out of 100 in four areas: pay, marriage, assets and pensions. The law grants equal rights to men and women in these domains. Equal pay for equal work is mandated, and women have the same rights as men in matters of property, marriage and retirement.

The country also allows employees to adjust their working hours — a measure that remains uncommon in sub-Saharan Africa. The report highlights additional progress in parenthood and female entrepreneurship, driven by targeted reforms in employment and childcare in recent years.

On women’s freedom of movement — including access to passports, travel and choice of residence — Togo scored 75 out of 100 for legal rights and 68.75 for effectiveness. This stands out in a region where women often still require their husband’s authorization in practice.

Enforcement gaps remain

Despite these gains, weaknesses persist. Institutional support mechanisms scored just 31.95 out of 100, suggesting that implementation structures remain underdeveloped. Perceptions of how effectively rights are enforced stand at 64.54 out of 100, indicating that legal provisions and real-world conditions are not yet fully aligned.

Togo’s Business Climate Cell acknowledged these gaps and called for further efforts to strengthen institutional mechanisms. The government reaffirmed its commitment to consolidating the reforms and increasing women’s participation in national economic development. The next edition of the ranking will show whether those commitments translate into measurable progress.

African Ranking — Women, Business and the Law 2026 (54 economies)

1. Mauritius — 82.30
   
   
2. Togo — 79.33
   
   
3. Côte d'Ivoire — 78.25
   
   
4. Zambia — 76.68
   
   
5. South Africa — 76.35
   
   
6. Cabo Verde — 75.03
   
   
7. Gabon — 74.08
   
   
8. Sierra Leone — 71.88
   
   
9. Angola — 71.60
   
   
10. Rwanda — 71.47
    
    
11. Namibia — 70.28
    
    
12. Seychelles — 69.58
    
    
13. Kenya — 68.75
    
    
14. Mozambique — 68.55
    
    
15. São Tomé and Príncipe — 67.93
    
    
16. Benin — 67.60
    
    
17. Burkina Faso — 67.40
    
    
18. Tanzania — 66.85
    
    
19. Ghana — 66.72
    
    
20. Lesotho — 66.72
    
    
21. Madagascar — 64.93
    
    
22. Uganda — 64.13
    
    
23. Malawi — 62.48
    
    
24. Zimbabwe — 62.30
    
    
25. South Sudan — 62.10
    
    
26. Guinea — 61.88
    
    
27. Morocco — 60.95
    
    
28. Congo, Dem. Rep. — 59.50
    
    
29. Liberia — 58.95
    
    
30. Gambia — 57.50
    
    
31. Ethiopia — 57.20
    
    
32. Djibouti — 55.33
    
    
33. Central African Republic — 53.48
    
    
34. Senegal — 52.90
    
    
35. Burundi — 52.68
    
    
36. Chad — 51.40
    
    
37. Botswana — 51.10
    
    
38. Nigeria — 51.10
    
    
39. Mali — 50.33
    
    
40. Eritrea — 50.28
    
    
41. Congo, Rep. — 50.23
    
    
42. Equatorial Guinea — 49.15
    
    
43. Guinea-Bissau — 48.75
    
    
44. Egypt, Arab Rep. — 48.50
    
    
45. Tunisia — 46.38
    
    
46. Algeria — 45.53
    
    
47. Cameroon — 44.48
    
    
48. Somalia, Fed. Rep. — 38.33
    
    
49. Niger — 38.08
    
    
50. Libya — 35.83
    
    
51. Eswatini — 35.35
    
    
52. Comoros — 34.38
    
    
53. Mauritania — 33.50
    
    
54. Sudan — 24.75

Source: World Bank, Women, Business and the Law 2026.