• The funding will support Togo to overcome the water and sanitation challenges in Greater Lome.

At the institution’s Spring Meetings held in Washington, Togo secured funding of $100 million from the World Bank, which will aid the West African nation in increasing access to drinking water in Greater Lome and enhance sanitation services in the surrounding area.

The funding agreement was signed by Togo’s Minister of Finance Sani Yaya, and the Head of World Bank’s operations in Togo and other African nations Coralie Gervers. According to the Togolese Minister, the agreement points out the World Bank’s dedication to assisting Togo to fight the challenges of water and sanitation.

Also, it will considerably advance the government’s strategy which seeks to increase the capital of Lome’s drinking water coverage rate to 80% by 2025. Yaya said, “Increasing access to clean water and sanitation, we will help improve the health of the population, reduce the number of waterborne diseases, and create more favorable conditions for Togo’s economic and social development”.

The funding is also in line with the Togo Urban Water Security Project (TUWS) which aims to boost the availability and quality of drinking water in Greater Lome as well as improve sanitation services in the area. 

Most importantly, the TUWS strengthens the provider’s operational performance and improves the management of water resources, and wastewater management, promotes public health, and addresses the problem of unbilled water.

Additionally, the project includes rehabilitating water supply infrastructure, building a sludge treatment plant, carrying out technical studies to achieve sustainable water production on a large scale, and reinforcing the distribution network.

The Togolese government aims to invest CFA25 billion in water supply initiatives this year, and the new World Bank funding will help Togo’s plans to make drinking water accessible to more people. According to a data update in 2021, 61.5% of the Togolese population have access to drinking water, with 60.25%, 52.88%, and 69.49% of Togo’s urban, semi-urban, and rural populations respectively having access to the resource.