• AmCham Togo was officially launched in Lomé on January 26, 2026.
• The chamber aims to boost private investment and structured US–Togo business ties.
• Its creation comes as US trade policy tightens despite AGOA’s extension.

The American Chamber of Commerce in Togo (AmCham Togo) was officially launched on January 26, in Lomé. The body aims to structure and deepen economic relations between the United States and Togo. The initiative comes as both countries seek higher levels of private investment and a diversification of international partnerships.

The launch ceremony brought together business leaders, representatives of the Togolese authorities, including Minister of Mines and Energy Resources Robert Koffi Messan Eklo, and members of the US private sector. US Chargé d’Affaires Richard C. Michaels described the event as “a new chapter in US–Togo trade relations,” adding that the chamber would serve as “an essential platform for dialogue, opportunity, and shared prosperity.”

Led by the private sector, AmCham Togo is designed as a bridge between businesses and public decision-makers. It is part of the global network of American Chambers of Commerce and aims to promote economic freedom, ethical business practices, innovation, and inclusive growth. According to its leadership, the organization seeks to help foster a more transparent, competitive, and investment-friendly business environment focused on responsible investment.

The founding board brings together executives from diverse sectors with business networks spanning Togo, the United States, and Europe. The objective is to strengthen the credibility of the new chamber with international investors. AmCham Togo plans to play an active role in economic advocacy, public-private dialogue, trade development, and capacity building, with a particular focus on digital transformation.

On the ground, US–Togo economic ties are already reflected in several American business presences. More than a dozen US-affiliated companies and organizations operate in Togo in key sectors such as energy, aviation, agriculture, and logistics, according to the US embassy. ContourGlobal supplies nearly 30% of the country’s electricity, while Boeing aircraft are used on regional routes operated by ASKY Airlines. In 2025, Togo also imported its first shipment of US-produced organic fertilizers.

These commercial links are partly reflected in bilateral trade flows. TradeMap data show that Togolese imports from the United States reached about $61 million in 2024, dominated by plastics, vehicles, petroleum products, and industrial equipment. Togolese exports to the US market stood at nearly $49 million in 2024, up from less than $12 million four years earlier. Exports remain largely concentrated in low value-added products, such as agro-industrial residues and certain vegetable oils. However, the recent emergence of garment manufacturing at the Adétikopé Industrial Platform, led by Star Garments Group, a subsidiary of US-based Charles Komar & Sons, points to early but still limited signs of upgrading.

The launch of AmCham Togo comes amid a more constrained bilateral environment. Since returning to the White House, Donald Trump has placed the “America First” doctrine back at the center of US trade policy. From April 2025, a uniform 10% tariff was applied to Togolese exports to the United States, increasing market access costs just as the preferential AGOA regime expired, before being extended by Congress through the end of 2028. The combination sends mixed signals to African partners, balancing the continuation of a preferential framework with tougher access conditions.

In this context, AmCham Togo is seen less as a showcase and more as a tool to secure and upgrade economic relations, according to a member of the chamber’s board. The organization also plans to launch the “AmCham Togo CARES” program, a social impact initiative focused on education, job readiness, digital inclusion, and sustainable development, aimed at linking economic growth with support for local communities.

US authorities have said they intend to rapidly expand AmCham Togo’s membership base and are encouraging both American and Togolese companies with links to the United States to join. The chamber is presented as a platform for dialogue and business support in an increasingly demanding trade environment.

Fiacre E. Kakpo