Internet Access in Togo: Surprising Stats and the Race to Connect a Nation

• Internet Users: As of early 2024, about 3.44 million Togolese were using the internet, representing roughly 37.6% of the population datareportal.com. This means over 62% of citizens remained offline, highlighting a significant gap datareportal.com.
• Mobile Dominance: Togo had 6.91 million mobile connections in 2024 – equivalent to 75.5% of the population – reflecting the primacy of mobile broadband in delivering internet access datareportal.com. 4G networks cover about 98% of the population pulse.internetsociety.org, while 5G is just emerging with ~8% coverage pulse.internetsociety.org.
• Top ISPs: The market is highly concentrated. Togocom (Togo Telecom) holds ~49% share, GVA (CanalBox) ~35%, and Moov Africa Togo ~15%, leaving only small fractions to others pulse.internetsociety.org. Competition is rated “Very Poor” by the Internet Society pulse.internetsociety.org.
• Affordability: Internet access remains costly for many. A basic mobile broadband package (1GB+) costs about 8.2% of average income, far above the UN’s 2%-of-income affordability target pulse.internetsociety.org. Unlimited home fiber plans start around 15,000 FCFA (~$25) per month togofirst.com, which is out of reach for lower-income households.
• Urban–Rural Divide: Around 55% of Togolese live in rural areas datareportal.com, and they face hurdles getting online. High-speed infrastructure is concentrated in Lomé and major towns, while many villages still rely on basic 2G/3G coverage or have no access at all. Projects are underway to extend fiber and electricity to remote regions to narrow this gap togofirst.com togofirst.com.
• Government Initiatives: The government’s Digital 2025 strategy targets 95% broadband coverage by 2025 ifc.org. Authorities have liberalized the sector, capping prices and enabling mobile number portability togofirst.com, and are partnering with international investors to upgrade networks (e.g. a €55M IFC loan to Togocom in 2024) ifc.org.
• Global Partnerships: Togo is leveraging international cables and investments. It landed Google’s Equiano subsea cable, its second international fiber link, aiming to boost capacity 20× and cut internet prices ~14% by 2025 blog.google. Public–private ventures (e.g. with CSquared, World Bank, Huawei) are building data centers, fiber backbones, and rural connectivity solutions.
• Satellite Internet: Satellite broadband is emerging as a new option. While legacy VSAT services exist, the spotlight is on LEO constellations – Starlink is expected in 2025 extensia.tech and is already being marketed via local partners globaltt.com. This could bring 100+ Mbps speeds to remote areas, complementing terrestrial networks.
• Ongoing Challenges: Despite progress, regulatory and practical challenges persist. Market duopoly conditions have kept prices high and service quality uneven pulse.internetsociety.org. Digital literacy and the gender gap are concerns – as of 2017 only 9% of women (vs 16% of men) had used the internet pulse.internetsociety.org. Occasional internet shutdowns (one in the last year) pulse.internetsociety.org and cybersecurity readiness (Togo scores only 33/100 on ITU’s Global Cybersecurity Index pulse.internetsociety.org) also highlight areas for improvement.
• Future Outlook: Togo’s internet landscape is poised for rapid growth. With new infrastructure coming online and reforms, internet penetration could surge beyond its current ~38%. 5G rollouts are likely to expand coverage, and universal service projects (like connecting 8,000 schools and clinics with World Bank support) will bring more people online togofirst.com. The government envisions Togo as a digital hub of West Africa, using its strategic undersea cable links and tech initiatives to drive economic innovation and inclusion gizchina.com gizchina.com.

Overview of Internet Access in Togo

Togo is a small West African nation making significant strides in digital connectivity. Internet usage has grown steadily over the past decade. By January 2024, 3.44 million Togolese were Internet users, about 37.6% of the population datareportal.com. This marks a substantial increase from just a few years prior (for example, in 2016, usage was roughly half of today’s level blog.google). Still, it means nearly 6 million people (62%) remain offline datareportal.com, indicating plenty of room for growth. The majority of non-users are in rural and low-income segments, constrained by coverage gaps, costs, and digital literacy.

Mobile connectivity is the main on-ramp to the Internet for most Togolese. As of 2024, Togo had 6.91 million active mobile connections – about 0.75 per person – reflecting widespread SIM ownership datareportal.com. Thanks to aggressive network expansion, mobile broadband coverage is extensive: 4G signals reach around 98% of the population pulse.internetsociety.org, and even some preliminary 5G deployments cover ~8% (mostly in Lomé) pulse.internetsociety.org. Fixed broadband, while growing, remains a smaller piece of the puzzle; many households still connect via cellular networks or not at all. According to data from Ookla, Togo’s median fixed internet speed was about 29.2 Mbps in early 2024 datareportal.com, which, while a big improvement from a few years ago, still lags global averages. Mobile data speeds have been measured in a similar range (~30 Mbps) pulse.internetsociety.org, indicating that for many users, mobile internet can be as fast as fixed lines.

Demographically, young people drive internet adoption in Togo. With a median age of 19 datareportal.com, the population is youthful, and this generation is more likely to be online (via social media, messaging apps, etc.). Social media users, while only about 10% of the population (913,000 people in 2024), grew over 36% in the last year datareportal.com, suggesting momentum in digital engagement. However, usage is not evenly spread – there are notable gender and urban–rural divides (explored further below). Overall, the “state of digital” in Togo is one of gradual but accelerating growth: more people online each year, better networks, and a government eager to leverage digital technology for development.

Available Internet Technologies in Togo

Internet access in Togo is delivered via a mix of technologies – from mobile broadband to fiber-optics to satellite links. Here’s a breakdown of the key access technologies available:

• Mobile Broadband (3G/4G/5G): Mobile networks are the backbone of connectivity in Togo. Two cellular operators provide nationwide 2G/3G coverage and extensive 4G LTE coverage (reaching at least 90–98% of the population) pulse.internetsociety.org togofirst.com. 3G services began in the early 2010s, followed by 4G LTE rollout in the late 2010s. Now 4G is mainstream, offering typical data speeds from a few Mbps up to ~30 Mbps in urban areas pulse.internetsociety.org. In 2020, Togo’s mobile internet penetration (active mobile data subscriptions) had reached 63% imf.org – a remarkable leap from ~13% just five years earlier, showing how quickly Togolese have adopted mobile data. 5G is still in pilot stages: by 2024 Togo launched limited 5G coverage (~8% of population) pulse.internetsociety.org, one of the first in the region to do so. This likely covers parts of Lomé with enhanced mobile broadband. As 5G expands, users can expect higher speeds (potentially 10× 4G speeds) and new wireless home broadband options. That said, 4G LTE remains the workhorse, and the focus is on upgrading remaining 3G zones and increasing capacity where 4G demand is high.
• Fiber-Optic Broadband (FTTH/FTTX): Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) has emerged as a premium internet option in urban Togo. In Lomé (the capital) and a few other cities, fiber broadband is offered by providers like GVA (Canalbox) and Togocom. These networks deliver high speeds (50 Mbps, 100 Mbps, or more) and unlimited data, catering to businesses and affluent households. Fiber deployment picked up after 2018; by 2021, GVA’s Canalbox fiber service had signed up over 36,000 subscribers, surpassing the incumbent’s DSL base togofirst.com. FTTH availability is still mostly limited to Lomé and its suburbs (where demand and ability to pay are concentrated). However, the government and partners are actively expanding the fiber backbone and metro fiber rings. National backbone fiber links exist connecting major towns and the submarine cable landings, and there are plans to lay fiber alongside new power transmission lines to reach northern regions togofirst.com togofirst.com. As these projects complete, more communities will gain the option of fiber or at least fiber-fed local networks. For now, fiber is the fastest and most reliable connectivity in Togo, but also the most geographically limited. Monthly prices for residential fiber tend to be fixed-rate and relatively affordable by developed-country standards (around 15,000–30,000 FCFA or $25–50 for unlimited plans togofirst.com), but in local terms that’s expensive (comparable to or higher than average monthly income).
• DSL and Fixed Wireless: Prior to fiber, the main fixed broadband was ADSL delivered over copper telephone lines by the state operator (Togo Telecom). DSL still exists but has been largely overtaken by fiber in Lomé; Togo Telecom’s DSL subscriber numbers actually fell from ~32k to 28k as many switched to fiber by 2021 togofirst.com. DSL speeds in Togo historically max out around 8 Mbps on good lines ipinfo.io, and service quality can be inconsistent outside central Lomé. In addition to DSL, fixed wireless broadband is offered by newer ISPs like Teolis and Café Informatique. Teolis, for example, launched in 2018 with a WiMAX and LTE-based network focusing on the greater Lomé area. It claims to cover 80% of Grand Lomé with fixed wireless access as of 2022 togofirst.com. These providers install an antenna or router at the customer’s location that connects to their wireless network (using licensed bands). Fixed wireless plans are an alternative for areas without fiber or for customers needing quick installation. Speeds vary (often 5–20 Mbps) and these services are typically used by businesses, cybercafés, and some homes. Fixed 4G/5G CPE (Customer Premises Equipment) – essentially using the mobile network via a router – is another growing category, especially as 4G coverage is ubiquitous. Togocom and Moov offer wireless home broadband plans that use 4G routers for internet in the home, providing a substitute for wired connections in areas without fiber.
• Satellite Internet: Given Togo’s small size and improving terrestrial coverage, satellite internet has been a niche solution – but it’s gaining attention with new low-Earth orbit (LEO) systems. Traditionally, VSAT (geostationary satellite) connections have served remote businesses, NGOs, or backup links. These offer coverage anywhere but at high cost (hundreds of dollars per month for a few Mbps). Now, however, providers like Starlink (SpaceX) and OneWeb are poised to change the game. Starlink, the LEO satellite constellation, has been expanding across Africa in 2023–2024 and is expected to launch service in Togo by 2025 extensia.tech. Already, companies are advertising Starlink kits in Togo via grey markets or neighboring country imports semafor.com. Starlink promises downlink speeds over 100 Mbps with relatively low latency (~50ms), which could greatly benefit rural users or businesses off the grid. OneWeb, another LEO network, is also being promoted through satellite solution firms (offering up to 200 Mbps connectivity) globaltt.com. The Togolese government has shown interest in satellite for connecting hard-to-reach areas (for instance, using satellite links for rural telephony or for backup in case of fiber cuts). As of 2025, Starlink is not yet officially active in Togo, but regulatory preparations are likely underway given Togo’s tech-forward stance. In the meantime, traditional satellite providers (like GlobalTT or Africasat) continue to serve the niche that absolutely requires off-grid links – for example, some mining operations, remote research stations, or as redundancy for banks. The arrival of LEO satellite internet is anticipated to further bridge the rural connectivity gap, albeit pricing will determine its accessibility (Starlink’s hardware and monthly fees, often around $600 for equipment and $90/month service in Africa, are still steep for the average user blog.telegeography.com africasatellite.com).
• Public Wi-Fi and Community Networks: In urban centers, there are also various Wi-Fi networks – some provided by telecom operators (for example, hotspots around universities or government offices), and others by private entities (cafés, hotels, etc.). While not a primary access mode for most, these Wi-Fi hotspots play a role in enabling those without mobile data to get online occasionally. Togo has experimented with community telecenters and Internet cafés as well, especially to serve youths and job seekers. The government’s digital inclusion programs have included setting up “digital villages” or community internet centers in rural areas, often equipped via satellite or a local wireless link, where people can come use computers and get online. These initiatives are part of broader efforts to ensure that even those who don’t have personal internet devices or subscriptions can access online services (for example, for e-government or education purposes).

In summary, Togo’s available technologies range from modern 4G/5G mobile networks and fiber-optic broadband in cities, to legacy DSL and innovative wireless/satellite solutions for more remote connectivity. The presence of multiple options is helping drive internet adoption, as users and businesses can choose what fits their needs and budgets. Going forward, the trend is toward greater reliance on high-speed infrastructure (fiber, 4G/5G, and subsea cables) with satellite as a complementary solution to truly reach the underserved corners of the country.

Major Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and Market Share

Togo’s ISP market is relatively small and concentrated, with a handful of players dominating access. Historically, internet services were the domain of the state-owned incumbent, but in the last decade new competitors have emerged. Here are the major ISPs and their roles:

• Togocom (Togo Telecom & Togo Cellulaire): Togocom is the incumbent telecom operator, formed from the merger of Togo Telecom (fixed-line) and Togo Cellulaire (mobile) and now majority-owned by a private consortium (led by Axian Group of Madagascar) since 2019 developmentaid.org. Under the Togocom umbrella, the company offers everything: mobile services (branded originally as Togocel, now “YASS” Togo as per a recent rebrand togofirst.com), fixed broadband (ADSL and now fiber), and enterprise telecom solutions. Togocom’s lineage as the only telecom for years means it still commands the largest customer base. In terms of market share, Togocom (often still referred to as Togo Telecom) controls roughly 50% of the internet subscriptions/traffic in Togo pulse.internetsociety.org. It essentially has a mobile monopoly share – about 58% of mobile subscribers in 2023 togofirst.com – and until recently was also the biggest fixed broadband provider. Togocom’s assets include the national fiber backbone, international gateways (it was the landing party for the WACS subsea cable and co-landing for Equiano), and thousands of kilometers of copper lines (legacy). With Axian’s investment, Togocom has been upgrading to fiber (it still offers DSL where fiber isn’t available) and expanding 4G and 5G coverage. Financially, Togocom is strong – it reportedly had CFA 34 billion in revenue in 2021 (about $57 million) togofirst.com, dwarfing others, thanks to its hold on lucrative corporate contracts and mobile voice/data income. Togocom’s strategy now is to maintain leadership by moving customers to higher-value services (fiber, LTE, mobile money) and expanding rural coverage to fulfill license obligations. As a quasi-privatized entity, it faces pressure from the regulator ARCEP to improve quality and lower prices, which has been a challenge given its legacy status.
• Moov Africa Togo (Atlantique Telecom): Moov is the second mobile operator, in operation since the late 1990s (originally as Telecel, then Celtel, then Moov under different owners). Now part of the Maroc Telecom group (marketed as Moov Africa), it provides GSM voice and mobile internet services. Moov has a smaller network coverage compared to Togocel but still reaches all major towns and many rural areas. It has been playing catch-up on 4G – Moov received its 4G license later than Togocel (which launched 4G first). As of 2023, Moov held about 42% of the mobile market togofirst.com, making it the clear number two. However, in terms of internet market share, Moov’s share is listed around 15% pulse.internetsociety.org. This might reflect that many Moov subscribers use it primarily for voice/SMS or have lower data usage compared to Togocom’s base, or that the statistic includes fixed broadband where Moov has no presence. Moov has focused on competitive pricing and promotions to gain customers – for instance, offering attractive data bundles. The brand appeals especially to youth and those looking for alternatives to Togocel’s service. Moov also introduced Moov Money (mobile money) and other digital services to remain competitive. While Moov doesn’t offer fixed internet directly, it does have some products like pocket Wi-Fi and business connectivity solutions via partnerships. Overall, Moov provides a vital competitive check against Togocom; areas where the two overlap see better consumer offers and network improvements due to this rivalry.
• GVA Togo (Canalbox): Groupe Vivendi Africa (GVA) is a newcomer that has dramatically shaken up Togo’s fixed broadband scene. GVA launched in Lomé in 2018 with its Canalbox FTTH service wearetech.africa. Targeting households and small businesses, Canalbox offered unlimited fiber internet at speeds of 50 Mbps (later 200 Mbps) for a flat rate (initially around CFA 45,000 per month, then introducing lower plans at CFA 15,000 and 30,000 togofirst.com). The impact was huge: within three years, GVA’s subscriber base outgrew Togo Telecom’s fixed broadband base, grabbing over 54% of the fixed internet market by end of 2021 togofirst.com. This was achieved by aggressive rollout in neighborhoods, a quick installation promise, and relatively affordable pricing for high-speed service. GVA’s success forced Togocom to respond (it started its own FTTH deployments and price adjustments). According to 2025 data, GVA holds ~35% of overall internet market share in Togo pulse.internetsociety.org – a number that likely corresponds to the majority of fixed broadband plus a slice of overall usage. GVA’s presence is currently concentrated in Lomé (and possibly expanding to secondary cities like Kara or Sokodé in the future). They also offer a Canalbox Business solution and collaborate with the government on some projects (the group has a track record in other countries of partnering on public Wi-Fi, etc.). The quick rise of GVA indicates pent-up demand for reliable broadband and the impact that a new entrant can have in a previously monopolistic market. GVA is now essentially the leading fixed ISP for consumers, while Togocom leads in mobile.
• Café Informatique et Télécommunications: Known simply as Café Informatique, this is one of Togo’s earliest ISPs, founded in the 1990s. It started as a pioneer providing dial-up internet and later broadband to corporate clients and cyber cafés (hence the name). Its market share today is very small (less than 1% as per Internet Society data pulse.internetsociety.org), but it remains an active niche player. Café Informatique offers services like VSAT connectivity, corporate networks, and some wireless broadband. It also historically managed the “.tg” domain registry and various IT services. While no longer a household name for individual internet users, the company has carved out a niche in specialized connectivity (for example, linking bank branches, providing internet for government agencies, etc.). It’s also known for running some of the country’s early digital innovation hubs or training centers. Essentially, Café Informatique has transitioned from being the ISP in the 90s to a boutique IT service provider now. Its small market share reflects the dominance of the mobile operators and fiber providers, but its legacy in Togo’s internet history is significant as a trailblazer.
• Teolis: Teolis SAU is a private ISP launched in 2018, making it one of the newest entrants alongside GVA. Teolis was founded by Togolese entrepreneurs after the market liberalization allowed a third ISP license. It specializes in fixed wireless broadband. Using technologies like LTE-A and WiMAX on fixed routers, Teolis has focused on covering greater Lomé and a few other coastal areas. By 2022, Teolis announced it covers “80% of Grand Lomé” with its network togofirst.com. The company serves both homes and businesses, with a reputation for tailored solutions (they often customize packages for corporate clients). Teolis’s speeds and prices are competitive for those who can’t get fiber – for instance, offering packages of a few Mbps up to 10–20 Mbps with unlimited night data, etc. In the overall market, Teolis remains small (estimated a few thousand customers), but it’s an important player because it adds competition in the broadband segment. It was also the first ISP in Togo to introduce some customer-centric features like real-time data consumption monitoring via an app. Teolis’s challenge is that as fiber expands, it may lose some high-end customers, but there will likely remain a role for those who prefer wireless installs or in areas fiber hasn’t reached yet.
• Others: Apart from the above, there are minor or specialized providers. For example, ISPs for corporate or niche services include Gateway Communications (providing international bandwidth resale), ZEUS (a smaller ISP), and academic networks like TogoRER (the national research and education network connecting universities). There’s also mention of SIN (Société d’Infrastructures Numériques) which isn’t an ISP to end-users but a state-owned company that manages shared infrastructure (like the carrier-neutral data center and fiber backbone) and wholesales capacity to operators togofirst.com. Global CDNs and cloud providers have minimal direct presence – however, interestingly Cloudflare shows up in the Internet Society list with <1% share pulse.internetsociety.org, likely because some Togolese traffic is served via Cloudflare’s CDN nodes in the region.

Overall, two big players (Togocom and Moov) dominate mobile internet, while Togocom and GVA dominate fixed broadband. The top three ISPs account for ~99% of the market pulse.internetsociety.org, leaving little for the rest. This concentration has raised concerns about competition, leading regulators to keep a close eye. The government has occasionally floated the idea of introducing a third mobile operator to shake up the duopoly togofirst.com, but so far efforts have focused more on strengthening oversight of the existing players. The entry of GVA and Teolis shows that competition is possible and beneficial – since their arrival, consumers have seen better offers (like unlimited data plans, faster speeds, and promotions). Yet, the market’s small size and investment needs mean that each player must fight for profitability, which partly explains why prices haven’t dropped as much as one might expect with new entrants.

In summary, Togocom (under various brands) and Moov are the giants, especially in mobile, while GVA and to a lesser extent Teolis have made inroads in fixed broadband. Café Informatique and others play minor roles. The market structure is evolving from a monopoly to a tight oligopoly. The next few years might see these shares shift slightly (for instance, GVA could capture more fixed market share; Moov might try to narrow the gap with Togocom in mobile), but without a new major entrant, the hierarchy is likely to remain: Togocom as the incumbent leader, Moov as the challenger, and GVA as the fiber disruptor.

Pricing Structure and Affordability

How affordable is internet access in Togo? This is a critical question, as price is a major barrier for many Togolese. In general, internet services in Togo remain expensive relative to incomes, though there have been improvements in recent years.

For mobile internet, Togo’s prices are on the high side by African standards. The Alliance for Affordable Internet defines affordability as 1GB of data costing no more than 2% of monthly income businesstrumpet.com. In Togo, however, 1GB of mobile data can cost several times that benchmark. According to 2024 ITU data, a basic mobile broadband basket (1.5 GB monthly) costs about 8.17% of GNI per capita pulse.internetsociety.org – in other words, nearly a week’s worth of income for the average person. In practical terms, as of 2023, 1GB data packages from Togocom or Moov might cost around 1,000–2,000 FCFA ($1.60–$3.20). For someone on modest earnings, this is significant. Heavy users typically purchase larger bundles (like 5GB, 10GB packages) which reduce the per-GB cost somewhat. Both main mobile operators run frequent promotions – e.g., night data bonuses, social media packs – to make data seem more affordable, but the reality is that many Togolese, especially in rural areas, ration their data usage heavily. It’s not uncommon for people to turn data on only briefly to check messages, or purchase just 50–100 MB at a time via mobile money due to cost constraints.

On the fixed broadband side, pricing structures are different. Home fiber or DSL packages are usually flat-rate per month for unlimited usage (or very high caps). Togocom’s ADSL packages historically ranged from around CFA 10,000 ($17) for a very basic plan (with low speeds and usage limits) up to CFA 30,000–50,000 ($50–$85) for higher-speed or unlimited plans. With the introduction of fiber, GVA’s Canalbox came in at CFA 30,000/month for up to 50 Mbps unlimited when launched, and later even offered a budget plan at CFA 15,000 for 10 Mbps unlimited togofirst.com. These price points were revolutionary in Togo because previously high-speed internet was mostly available via business plans costing hundreds of thousands of FCFA. The result: many middle-class households in Lomé signed up for Canalbox, seeing it as good value. In response, Togocom also offered FTTH and adjusted some tariffs to be more competitive. Still, consider that CFA 15,000 is roughly $25 – in Togo, that’s a large share of median monthly income (which might be only $50-$100). So even the “affordable” fiber plan is out of reach for a huge portion of the populace. As of 2022, nearly all of Togo’s ~64,000 fixed broadband subscribers were in the top income urban households togofirst.com.

For businesses and enterprises, ISPs offer dedicated internet lines, often with SLAs (Service Level Agreements) guaranteeing uptime. These can be delivered via fiber, microwave, or VSAT. Prices for business connectivity in Togo are quite high (but typically paid by banks, ISPs, multinationals). For instance, Togocom had business fiber tariffs going up to CFA 200,000 per month (~$330) for top-tier packages togofirst.com. Those might include symmetrical speeds, multiple static IPs, etc. The high corporate prices are one reason Togocom’s revenue remained high (it kept corporate clients) even as it lost retail market share to GVA togofirst.com. SMEs and cyber cafés often opt for prosumer plans or even multiple mobile SIMs as a makeshift solution to avoid those high costs.

Comparing affordability: It’s useful to note that Togo’s per capita GDP is around $900, and minimum wages are low. So when a family has to spend $10 or $20 on internet per month, that competes with essential expenses. A 2022 report by Africa Practice on the Equiano cable noted that internet access in Togo was significantly more expensive than the Broadband Commission target, and projected that Equiano’s arrival could bring prices down by about 14% by 2025 gizchina.com blog.google. That kind of reduction, if passed to consumers, would help – but would still leave 1GB of mobile data at perhaps ~7% of monthly income, which is far from “universal affordability.”

There have been some moves to improve affordability. The regulator ARCEP in 2022 imposed price ceilings on certain data and voice services, which led to a slight drop in tariffs for end-users togofirst.com. Also, competition from GVA forced Togocom to provide more data for the money (e.g., they introduced “Doubling” promos where you get 2GB for the price of 1GB on certain days). Additionally, the prevalence of mobile money has facilitated the sale of very small packages (micro-bundles), which, while unit-wise expensive, allow people with as little as 100 FCFA to buy some data – a practice of “sachetizing” internet to match irregular incomes.

Another angle on affordability is the availability of public/free internet access points. The government and some municipalities have set up free Wi-Fi hotspots (e.g., in some public parks or university campuses). During COVID-19, Togo also zero-rated certain educational and government websites (making them free to access without data charges). While these initiatives are not widespread, they represent attempts to mitigate cost barriers for important services.

It’s worth noting that device cost is also part of affordability. Smartphones have become cheaper (entry-level Android phones can be found for $30-$50 new or used), but for the poorest households, even that is a hurdle. The government’s digital strategy mentions goals like providing affordable smartphones to citizens imf.org. If device costs drop and more people have capable phones, they can make better use of any lower internet prices that come.

In summary, internet in Togo is still a luxury for many. A significant portion of the population uses less than 500 MB per month because of cost. The pricing structure – low data volume for prepaid mobile, high monthly fees for unlimited broadband – means that average data consumption per user is low relative to global standards. However, the trend is slowly improving: new infrastructure (like Equiano cable, fiber networks) is expected to lower wholesale costs, which, if competition holds, could translate into cheaper retail prices. The government’s involvement via regulation and donor-backed projects also aims to drive prices down and possibly subsidize access for schools and marginalized groups. The challenge is ensuring these savings reach the ordinary consumer. Until then, affordability will remain one of the major bottlenecks to achieving universal internet access in Togo.

Rural vs. Urban Internet Access Disparities

Like many countries, Togo faces a stark digital divide between urban and rural areas. The capital city Lomé and a few major towns enjoy far better connectivity options and uptake compared to the countryside. This urban–rural gap in internet access is driven by infrastructure, economics, and demographics.

Urban areas (notably Lomé, and to a lesser extent cities like Sokodé, Kara, Kpalimé, etc.) have the lion’s share of Togo’s internet infrastructure. Lomé, being the capital and economic center (and home to ~1.5 million people in its metro area), is the landing point for international cables and the focus of telecom investment. Here’s what urban connectivity looks like:

• Network Coverage: Lomé has nearly ubiquitous mobile coverage. 4G is available everywhere in the city, offered by multiple cell towers from Togocom and Moov. In contrast, many rural localities might still rely on 2G or have patchy 3G at best. ARCEP’s data indicates essentially 100% of urban population is covered by 3G/4G, whereas rural coverage though high in theory, has more weak spots.
• High-Speed Options: Lomé is currently the only location with fiber-to-the-home. Providers like GVA and Togocom have rolled out FTTH in the city’s neighborhoods. Businesses in urban centers can get dedicated fiber or microwave links. None of this exists deep in rural Togo, where the best-case scenario might be a 4G router or a VSAT link. An ISP like Teolis extended wireless broadband to about 80% of the Grand Lomé region, but doesn’t operate upcountry togofirst.com.
• Internet Cafés and Public Access: In cities, you can find internet cafés, Wi-Fi hotspots in cafés or universities, and people selling connectivity (e.g., sharing their Wi-Fi). These are virtually absent in villages. Urban dwellers also have better access to electricity (which is crucial for charging devices or running network equipment). Urban electrification in Togo is around 87%, whereas in rural areas it’s below 20%. No power often means no reliable internet, even if the signal is present.

As a result, internet penetration in urban Togo far exceeds rural areas. While precise numbers are hard to come by, one proxy is that about 44.8% of Togo’s population lives in cities datareportal.com but likely constitutes an overwhelming majority of internet users. It’s conceivable that well over 70% of the country’s internet users are urban. In rural communities, internet usage might be limited to perhaps one person with a phone per household, or none at all if the area lacks coverage or if people can’t afford data. Another indicator: when Canalbox fiber launched in Lomé, uptake soared among the middle class there, but outside Lomé, even DSL lines were few. Villages might only have the option of mobile 2G for calling and SMS, with perhaps GPRS data (which is nearly unusable for modern internet needs).

This disparity is also seen in education and gender divides that often correlate with rural vs urban. For example, literacy and French proficiency are higher in cities; internet content and services often require those skills. The 2017 stat showing only 9% of women and 16% of men had used the internet likely hides a huge rural/urban gap pulse.internetsociety.org – urban men might have much higher usage vs rural women extremely low.

Why do these disparities exist? Primarily because infrastructure roll-out has been slow to reach rural Togo. The telecom companies prioritize areas with a critical mass of paying customers. It’s costly to lay fiber or even maintain cell towers in sparsely populated regions, especially if those regions are off the electric grid or hard to access in rainy seasons. Rural cell sites, where they exist, might not be upgraded to 4G due to low expected data revenue. Additionally, many rural residents live in poverty or subsistence farming, meaning even if internet is available, they might not afford the devices or data plans to use it.

The government recognizes this challenge and has launched initiatives to address it. One major effort is integrating digital infrastructure with other infrastructure projects. For instance, the Improved Digital and Electricity Access (IDEA) project, supported by the World Bank, plans to extend broadband coverage in rural areas by laying fiber optic cables alongside new high-voltage power lines togofirst.com. Specifically, as new transmission lines bring electricity to the northern parts of Togo, they will carry optical fiber, which “enables equitable distribution of bandwidth to all telecoms operators” across regions togofirst.com. This kind of backbone will make it easier for mobile operators and ISPs to provide service in those areas (by connecting cell towers or local networks to the national fiber).

Another approach is the use of Universal Service Funds – fees collected by ARCEP from the operators to finance rural telecom projects. These funds have been used to build rural telephony towers or provide connectivity to schools and health centers. In 2022–2023, Togo aimed to connect 8,000 public institutions (schools, clinics, local government offices) to broadband using a combination of fiber, microwave and satellite, with a $100M World Bank funding togofirst.com. If successful, this means even remote schools will get internet, which can have spillover effects (e.g., locals might access it after hours, teachers become digital ambassadors in the village, etc.).

Satellite internet also holds promise for rural coverage. While still expensive, Starlink could be strategically deployed in remote clinics or community centers to instantly give high-speed access where it would be impractical to build terrestrial networks. There’s also talk of using drones or balloons (though not specifically in Togo yet) in Africa to fill coverage gaps – but that remains experimental.

For now, though, the reality is that living outside a city in Togo usually means a much lower chance of being online. Even where there is cell coverage, it might be EDGE (2.5G) or weak 3G that makes internet use frustrating. Many rural people therefore rely on basic phones (not smartphones) and use mobile networks only for voice and mobile money. They may not see the direct relevance or benefit of the internet in their daily lives yet, which also becomes a demand-side issue – lack of local language content or digital literacy training means even if connectivity arrives, uptake could be slow unless paired with sensitization.

Despite these challenges, progress is happening. For example, some rural communities now have 4G where just a couple of years ago they had none – operators have slowly been upgrading rural base stations especially along main roads. Togo’s relatively small size (roughly 600 km north to south) means with a concerted push, it’s plausible to achieve near-universal coverage. The government’s goal of 95% population coverage by 2025 ifc.org implicitly addresses the rural areas. Achieving that means the remaining uncovered or weak-signal zones (often in the northern Savanes region or in pockets of Plateaux region) must get attention.

To put a human face on it: an internet user in Lomé might be streaming YouTube on fiber or having video calls via 4G, whereas a farmer in rural Togo might have never used the internet, or perhaps occasionally gets a WhatsApp text (no images) when they go into town. Bridging this gap will take both infrastructure (the supply side) and affordability & training (the demand side). The government’s approach, combining electricity, internet backbone, and digital training programs in rural areas, is a holistic attempt to ensure the digital revolution doesn’t leave the village behind. It will likely take years, but if projects like the IDEA succeed, we could see many rural Togolese coming online for the first time, accessing e-learning, e-health, and market information that could be transformative for those communities.

Government Policies and Initiatives to Improve Digital Infrastructure

The Togolese government has been proactive in pushing digital development, recognizing that better internet access can drive economic growth, improve governance, and uplift citizens’ livelihoods. Under the leadership of the Ministry of Digital Economy and Digital Transformation (headed by Cina Lawson), Togo has launched several policies and initiatives to expand and improve internet infrastructure:

• Togo Digital 2025 Strategy: This is the flagship roadmap guiding Togo’s digital ambitions. The strategy’s vision is to make Togo a hub for digital services in West Africa and to ensure every citizen can benefit from connectivity. Key targets of Digital 2025 include providing high-speed internet access to 95% of the population by 2025, connecting all government offices, schools, and health centers (95% of them) to the internet by 2025, and ensuring that every resident above age 5 has a digital ID and affordable access to the internet and a device ifc.org imf.org. To achieve this, the government has been partnering with the private sector and international financiers (since public funding alone is limited). The strategy also calls for development of e-government services and promoting tech entrepreneurship, recognizing that infrastructure is just the foundation for a broader digital economy.
• Privatization and Regulatory Reform: Understanding that a state monopoly could not rapidly scale up internet access, the government privatized Togocom in 2019, selling 51% to the Agou Holding consortium (Axian Telecom and partners) developmentaid.org. This brought in fresh capital and expertise. Concurrently, the telecom regulator was revamped – ARCEP (Autorité de Régulation des Communications Électroniques et des Postes) was empowered to enforce quality of service and fair competition. ARCEP adopted a data-driven regulation approach togofirst.com: it started publishing network performance stats and “naming and shaming” operators for issues. In 2021, ARCEP fined Togocom and Moov for poor quality in some regions, pushing them to reinvest. The regulator also introduced mobile number portability (allowing consumers to switch operators without changing their number) in mid-2023 togofirst.com, which can stimulate competition. Additionally, ARCEP has mandated price reductions – for example, setting a cap on off-net call prices and data tariffs, which led to cheaper bundles for users togofirst.com. These regulatory moves create an environment where ISPs are under pressure to expand networks and lower costs.
• Universal Access Fund Projects: The government operates a Universal Service Fund (FUET – Fonds d’Accès Universel aux Services Électroniques) funded by contributions from telecom operators. This is used to finance projects in underserved areas. Through this mechanism, dozens of rural cell towers were built in the past few years, especially in northern Togo, extending basic mobile coverage to villages that lacked it. The fund has also been used to set up Community Telecenters where people can access computers and internet in rural prefectures. Moreover, Togo’s government has invested in an Internet Exchange Point (IXP) in Lomé to keep local traffic local and improve resilience – Togo now has one IXP, set up with support from Internet Society, which helps reduce dependence on international bandwidth for domestic communications.
• International Connectivity & Public Infrastructure: Recognizing that connecting to the global internet is vital, Togo took an active role in attracting submarine cable projects. In March 2022, Togo became the first African landing point for Google’s Equiano subsea cable gizchina.com after high-level negotiations; this was a point of pride and part of the government’s plan to be a “digital hub.” The government, through the company SIN (Société d’Infrastructures Numériques), invested in a carrier-neutral data center (Carrier Hotel) in Lomé where Equiano terminates, enabling any licensed ISP to purchase capacity easily worldbank.org worldbank.org. This open-access approach is meant to drive prices down via competition at the wholesale level. Togo also earlier participated in the WARCIP (West Africa Regional Communications Infrastructure Program) with World Bank support, which financed the landing of the WACS cable (Togo’s first subsea cable) and national fiber extensions gizchina.com. The government continues to seek more redundancy – for instance, exploring connections to neighboring countries’ cables (there are plans to link to Ghana’s internet backbone and Benin’s, creating alternate routes). All these efforts fall under ensuring that Togo has robust international bandwidth and no repeat of incidents like a 2020 WACS outage that knocked out internet for a day gizchina.com.
• Public–Private Partnerships (PPP): The government frequently uses PPP models to develop infrastructure. A notable example is the partnership with CSquared, a broadband infrastructure company (backed by Google and others). Together they formed CSquared Woezon, a joint venture (with government 44% and CSquared 56%) to manage the new fiber networks (including Equiano’s onward distribution and metropolitan fiber) gizchina.com. This entity is tasked with deploying and maintaining fiber in Lomé and across the country, and leasing it to telecom operators – thereby avoiding duplication of infrastructure and lowering entry barriers for ISPs. Another PPP is seen in rural electrification: project CIZO (which distributes solar kits) also aims to support digital inclusion by powering telecom sites and charging phones in off-grid communities. The new IDEA project will similarly be a multi-sector PPP endeavor togofirst.com.

Lomé, the capital of Togo, has been at the center of the country’s digital infrastructure upgrades. The government’s push to be a regional digital hub is symbolized by projects like the Equiano subsea cable landing in Lomé, which brings in huge international bandwidth. Thanks to these investments, internet speeds in Togo are expected to more than double (from ~10 Mbps in 2021 to 21 Mbps by 2025), and retail internet prices could drop by 14% over the same period blog.google. Such improvements are poised to benefit urban centers (like Lomé’s Place de l’Indépendance, pictured) first, but ultimately the goal is nationwide connectivity. blog.google

• Digital Services and Literacy: Alongside hard infrastructure, the government is working on “soft” infrastructure – things like digital literacy, e-government, and local content. They launched the Agence Togo Digital to drive e-government projects and recruit tech talent into public service imf.org. A growing number of government services are now available online (from tax payments to passport applications), which also acts as an incentive for people to get internet access. During the pandemic, Togo’s novel Novissi cash transfer program leveraged mobile networks (USSD) to deliver aid imf.org, showcasing how digital tools can directly help citizens. There are initiatives to introduce coding and IT skills in schools, often in partnership with tech NGOs. The government also periodically runs awareness campaigns on the benefits of the internet in rural areas (for example, showing farmers how they could check market prices or weather forecasts online).
• Cybersecurity and Regulation: In 2022, Togo established an Army Cybersecurity School with international partners, aiming to become a regional center for training in cybersecurity. They’ve also drafted laws on data protection, cybercrime, and electronic transactions to build trust in online services. A National Cybersecurity Agency (ANCy) has been active. While these aren’t infrastructure per se, they form part of the enabling environment that the government is fostering for a digital economy.

One specific policy highlight: the government has committed to no taxes on smartphones and ICT devices, trying to lower the cost of ownership for citizens. And internet services have generally been exempted from excessive taxation to keep tariffs as low as possible (unlike some neighboring countries that impose heavy telecom taxes).

Finally, an important government stance is the vision of Togo as a logistics and digital services hub. This is seen in synergy projects like developing a technopark near Lomé port, and integrating fiber connectivity into the new Adétikopé industrial zone with Togocom ecofinagency.com. The President often speaks of making Togo a destination for investment in data centers and technology companies – a tall order, but steps like the Huawei MoU in 2024 (for ICT development) align with that togofirst.com.

In summary, Togo’s government is actively steering the country towards greater digital infrastructure through strategic plans (Digital 2025), regulatory reforms, international partnerships, and integration of tech in all sectors. This top-down commitment has been essential in a small economy like Togo’s, to coordinate efforts and attract the necessary capital. The true test will be in execution – ensuring that these well-laid plans deliver real connectivity improvements on the ground, especially for the underserved communities.

Role of International Partnerships and Investments

International partnerships have been crucial in Togo’s internet expansion, given the country’s limited financial and technological resources. Togo has adeptly engaged with global companies, development organizations, and investors to catalyze its digital infrastructure projects. Some key examples and their impacts:

• Submarine Cable Partnerships (Google/CSquared): Perhaps the most high-profile partnership was with Google and its partner CSquared for the Equiano submarine cable. In 2019, Togo wasn’t initially on the map for this cable, but through negotiations highlighting its digital agenda, it secured a landing. In March 2022, Equiano landed in Togo, making it the first African stop on the cable from Portugal gizchina.com. The government collaborated with Google to ensure needed permits and infrastructure were in place swiftly. A deal was struck where the joint venture CSquared Woezon would handle the cable’s operations in-country gizchina.com. Google benefited by quickly deploying its cable; Togo benefited by gaining a massive bandwidth pipeline and international attention as a connectivity hub. According to an economic assessment, Equiano’s presence in Togo is expected to create 37,000 jobs (directly and indirectly) and spur $350 million in economic activity from 2022–2025 gizchina.com. It also significantly boosts resilience, given Togo previously relied on a single international cable (WACS) gizchina.com. This partnership is a model of a win-win: global tech gets access, Togo gets infrastructure + a revenue share from selling capacity. Additionally, Facebook (Meta) also invested regionally (in the 2Africa subsea cable); Togo isn’t on that route, but such investments signal a trend where big tech partners with African governments on backbone infra.
• World Bank and Multilateral Funding: The World Bank has been a long-time partner in Togo’s connectivity efforts. It funded the WARCIP Togo project (around $30M), which helped finance fiber optic links and the new carrier-neutral data center in Lomé worldbank.org. In 2021, an additional $11M was granted to extend these efforts worldbank.org. Moreover, the World Bank’s new IDEA project (Improved Digital and Electricity Access) earmarks a significant portion of a $100M+ loan to digital infrastructure togofirst.com. World Bank funding typically comes with technical assistance – they help Togo design regulatory frameworks for open access, provide experts to structure PPPs, and ensure projects benefit the poor (like connecting schools). Similarly, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the World Bank’s private sector arm, provided a €55M loan to Togocom in 2024 to accelerate 4G and fiber rollout ifc.org. This investment explicitly ties into the government’s 95% coverage goal ifc.org. The IFC loan is notable because it blended funds from Société Générale and Ecobank (commercial banks) with IFC’s, indicating confidence in Togocom’s plans. Other multilateral actors include the African Development Bank, which often supports regional connectivity projects, and organizations like ITU and Internet Society that have provided grants for things like the IXP and community networks.
• Private Equity and Telecom Investors: The privatization of Togocom brought in Emerging Capital Partners (ECP) and Axian Group. Axian, which runs telecom operations in Indian Ocean and East Africa, has since used Togo as part of its broader African strategy. They’ve committed to investing $271M over 7 years in Togocom for network improvements globalprivatecapital.org. This is foreign direct investment directly into towers, fiber, and new tech. The presence of a serious investor like Axian also introduced better management practices and possibly bulk procurement (reducing costs for equipment via their group deals). Another investor, Moov Togo’s parent Maroc Telecom (51% owned by Etisalat), has also channeled funds – e.g., Moov Togo got a capital injection around 2019 to prepare for 4G. These cross-border investments mean Togo isn’t going it alone; it’s part of a network of operations, gaining from knowledge and scale of larger groups.
• Chinese Partnerships (Huawei and Others): China has been active in African telecom, and Togo is no exception. Huawei has been a supplier of much of Togocom’s equipment (3G, 4G network gear, fiber gear). In 2024, Togo signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Huawei to deepen cooperation on ICT infrastructure togofirst.com. While details are scant, such MoUs often involve Huawei providing training, possibly setting up innovation centers, or offering favorable financing for equipment upgrades (often via China Eximbank loans). Togo’s President also met Chinese firms like CRBC and CABC about PPPs in infrastructure, indicating a broad China-Togo engagement togofirst.com. Additionally, in 2018, Togo reportedly worked with a Chinese firm (maybe ZTE or Huawei) on a fiber backbone project connecting government buildings. The Chinese approach often includes technology transfer – for example, establishing a ICT training center in Lomé (Huawei has done so in other African countries).
• Regional Organizations and Donors: Togo benefits from regional West African projects. ECOWAS and the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) have regional telecom initiatives; for instance, free roaming within West Africa was a policy Togo adopted with its neighbors, facilitated by regional agreements togofirst.com. This means Togolese traveling to, say, Côte d’Ivoire or Senegal (and vice versa) can roam without extra fees, which was achieved through multilateral negotiation. Also, Togo participates in the Smart Africa Alliance, committing to initiatives like “One Africa Network” (eliminating roaming charges continent-wide) and data center hubs. Development agencies like USAID or GIZ (Germany) have also run programs: e.g., GIZ supported some of the digital entrepreneurship training, and USAID funded an “Internet Village” project with satellite in a rural community globalgiving.org.
• Starlink and LEO satellite companies: While not yet operational in Togo, the government’s openness to Starlink is an implicit partnership to note. Unlike some countries that have resisted Starlink (e.g., until recently South Africa over regulatory concerns), Togo seems eager to welcome it. The Extensia report suggests Togo is among countries expected to have Starlink by 2025 extensia.tech. That implies the regulatory authority (ARCEP) is likely coordinating with SpaceX to license it. When launched, Starlink may partner locally (perhaps via a Togolese ISP or tech company) for distribution and support. There’s also OneWeb, which in 2023 signed distribution deals in Africa (e.g., with Paratus Group) to serve seven countries’ remote schools ecofinagency.com. It’s unclear if Togo is among them, but Togo could benefit from these philanthropic or B2B partnerships to connect schools via satellite, as a complement to terrestrial efforts.
• Francophone and Other Partnerships: Being a Francophone country, Togo gets support from France and others on digital projects. For instance, the French Development Agency (AFD) might fund digital literacy programs. Also, Togo engages with the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), which provides guidance and occasional grants (like for spectrum management tools or national broadband planning). Togo’s improved cybersecurity ranking came after partnering with ITU’s cybersecurity program for capacity building.

The cumulative effect of these partnerships is that Togo punches above its weight in terms of digital infrastructure development. With foreign expertise and funds, Togo has:

• Two international submarine cables (unusual for a country of its size) gizchina.com.
• A modern data center and plans for a second.
• Nationwide fiber backbone projects on the way.
• A more competitive telecom sector than many peers, thanks to new entrants.
• Ambitious social projects linking connectivity with areas like education, where donors foot much of the bill.

Of course, reliance on external players comes with considerations: ensuring open access (so one partner doesn’t monopolize), managing debt if loans are involved, and aligning priorities (sometimes donor projects have specific goals that must be met). So far, Togo has navigated this by maintaining a good mix – e.g., an American company (Google) for international capacity, a pan-African private investor (Axian) for the incumbent telco, Chinese tech for equipment, and multilateral institutions for funding gaps.

Going forward, continued international collaboration will likely drive 5G expansion, rural last-mile solutions, and training. For example, Togo might partner with companies like Microsoft or Facebook for community Wi-Fi or digital skills programs (Facebook has an Express Wi-Fi program and Microsoft an Airband initiative in Africa – Togo could tap into those). As the tech world evolves, Togo seems keen to adopt innovations via partnerships rather than trying to invent from scratch – a wise strategy to leapfrog stages of development.

Availability and Developments in Satellite Internet (Starlink and Others)

Satellite internet is emerging as an exciting frontier in Togo’s connectivity landscape, particularly for its potential to reach remote and underserved areas. Here’s a closer look at what’s happening on this front:

Traditional Satellite (VSAT): Togo has long had the option of VSAT (Very Small Aperture Terminal) services. Companies and institutions that absolutely needed connectivity in areas where terrestrial links were absent (or as backup) have used GEO (geostationary) satellites. For example, banks often have VSAT backup at branches, and programs like the “Internet Village” project used satellite to connect rural schools globalgiving.org. Providers like GlobalTT advertise VSAT in Togo, offering packages with both GEO and new LEO options globaltt.com. However, traditional VSAT has high latency (~600-800ms) and limited bandwidth unless you pay a lot. A small VSAT plan (say 512 kbps up/2 Mbps down) could cost several hundred USD per month. This made VSAT a last resort.

Starlink’s Impending Arrival: Starlink, with its constellation of low-earth-orbit satellites, promises to upend this dynamic by providing high-speed, low-latency internet from space. As of mid-2024, Starlink was live in 20 African countries and planned in 26 more by 2026 extensia.tech. Togo is on the rollout roadmap for 2024/2025 blog.telegeography.com extensia.tech. In fact, TeleGeography reported Starlink intended to launch in Togo by end of 2024 blog.telegeography.com, and Extensia updated that to “expected in 2025” extensia.tech – the slight delay might be due to regulatory approvals or logistics. The anticipation is high because Starlink could deliver ~50–150 Mbps downlink speeds anywhere in Togo (as long as there’s a clear sky view) with latency ~30-50ms, akin to terrestrial broadband quality. The typical Starlink kit costs around $600 for the dish, and service around $90 per month in Africa blog.telegeography.com. This is expensive for the average Togolese household, but for businesses, NGOs, or even community pools it’s a game changer. Use cases: connecting a village clinic, powering a rural cyber café, or providing backup for a bank ATM in a town that often loses fiber – all could be done via Starlink. Already, savvy users have apparently been obtaining Starlink kits from neighboring countries where it’s active (like Benin or Nigeria) and using them in Togo via the roaming feature semafor.com. However, this was technically unauthorized – ARCEP would need to license Starlink officially for broad use.

The government seems to be onboard: there haven’t been public statements of opposition, unlike in some countries (e.g., Zimbabwe initially banned unlicensed Starlink use blog.telegeography.com). Togo likely views Starlink as complementary to its universal access goals. We might see a scenario where the government or a telecom operator becomes a reseller or partner for Starlink (as happened in Nigeria where a local company distributes it). Alternatively, Starlink might operate directly through an online sales model once licensed.

One can imagine, for example, Togo’s education ministry deploying Starlink at hundreds of rural schools that are beyond the reach of fiber – instantly giving students there access to e-learning resources. Or, farmers’ cooperatives in the north using a Starlink connection at a community center to get market updates.

OneWeb and Others: OneWeb, another LEO satellite provider (backed by UK/India’s Bharti), is also targeting Africa but through enterprise and government channels rather than direct-to-consumer. In 2023, OneWeb partnered with a pan-African telco (Paratus Group) to start connecting schools in several African countries with LEO satellite, using a 2 TB/month plan per site ecofinagency.com. If Togo seeks alternatives to Starlink or additional capacity, OneWeb could step in, perhaps via a partnership with a local ISP or through an NGO-led project for schools. OneWeb’s advantage is it can integrate with existing telcos (who might host gateway stations). One drawback is OneWeb’s user terminals are generally professional installations, not as plug-and-play as Starlink’s Dishy.

Additionally, Viasat (which acquired the old Inmarsat and has new satellites) could offer high-throughput GEO satellite coverage for West Africa. And Project Kuiper by Amazon is on the horizon, though their satellites are not yet launched (expected late 2025 or 2026 for initial service). Togo could benefit from that competition eventually.

Challenges for Satellite Internet: Despite the bright prospects, some challenges exist:

• Regulation: The government needs to establish frameworks for satellite ISPs. Licensing fees, spectrum use (Starlink uses Ku-band, OneWeb Ka-band), and coordination with national security (satellite internet bypasses local monitoring infrastructure) all have to be ironed out. But given Togo’s eagerness for innovation, they’ll likely be accommodating.
• Cost: While the technology works, affordability remains key. A Starlink at $90/month is beyond most individual users. However, it might be viable for groups. Perhaps a model where an entrepreneur in a village subscribes and then redistributes via Wi-Fi and sells vouchers could arise (this happened in Nigeria – local cyber cafes share Starlink via Wi-Fi and charge users small fees). The government or donors might also subsidize terminals for public use sites like schools or clinics.
• Local capacity: Installing and maintaining satellite terminals in far-flung areas requires some technical know-how. Training local technicians is important so that a misaligned dish or a broken cable can be fixed without waiting for someone from Lomé.

Current Availability: As of now (2025), no official Starlink service in Togo yet, but one can get satellite internet from existing companies (like AfricaOnline or SatADSL via Cafe Informatique). They offer packages such as 5 Mbps down for several hundred dollars monthly. There are also satellite phone/internet terminals (like Thuraya or Iridium) that can be used for low-bandwidth connectivity in extreme remote situations (useful for emergency communications). These aren’t mainstream internet solutions but are part of the connectivity toolkit.

In summary, satellite internet is transitioning from a niche to a potentially mainstream solution for Togo’s connectivity gaps. With Starlink likely operational by 2025, Togo could join the list of African countries leveraging space-based internet for development. The presence of these services will also indirectly pressure terrestrial providers – knowing that even remote consumers have an alternative, albeit costly, means that telcos can’t neglect rural upgrades forever. It’s a bit like the dynamic in electricity with solar home systems: people won’t wait indefinitely for the grid if a stand-alone solution exists. Similarly, if Starlink can connect a village now, the telco needs to hurry or lose that potential market. Ultimately, satellite internet’s success in Togo will depend on creative approaches to financing and distribution, but it unquestionably adds a new layer of resilience and ubiquity to the nation’s internet access options.

Challenges: Regulatory Issues, Infrastructure Gaps, and Digital Literacy

Despite the progress in expanding internet access, Togo faces multiple challenges that it must navigate to achieve its digital ambitions:

1. Market and Regulatory Challenges:
Togo’s telecom market, with its limited competition, poses the risk of high prices and slower innovation. The duopoly of Togocom and Moov in mobile and effectively duopoly of Togocom and GVA in fixed broadband means these players hold significant power. The Internet Society rated Togo’s market competitiveness as “very poor” pulse.internetsociety.org, which suggests consumers don’t have ample choice and leverage. The regulator ARCEP has been active, but enforcing compliance is an ongoing challenge. For instance, ensuring that Togocom fairly shares infrastructure with competitors or that it doesn’t abuse a dominant position requires constant oversight. There have been reports in the past of quality of service issues – like dropped calls, slow speeds – which the regulator had to address with warnings and fines. ARCEP also needs to manage spectrum effectively; the introduction of 5G requires allocating new frequencies, possibly refarming old ones, all without causing disputes. A specific regulatory challenge is taxation and fees: while currently relatively moderate, there’s always pressure on governments to tax lucrative telecom services (like social media or international calls). Balancing fiscal needs with keeping internet affordable is tricky. So far, Togo has resisted any heavy internet-specific taxes, learning from neighbors where such moves backfired.

Another challenge is cyber regulations and censorship. Togo has experienced internet shutdowns in the past during sensitive political periods (e.g., a notable shutdown during protests in 2017 and reportedly one in 2020 election period). Internet Society Pulse noted 1 shutdown in the last 12 months pulse.internetsociety.org. Such shutdowns, often ordered by governments for security reasons, not only disrupt access but erode trust in the internet for businesses and users. While Togo has mostly had a positive digital agenda, maintaining open access and avoiding unnecessary network disruptions will be important. The regulatory environment must also adapt to new services: e.g., how to regulate OTT (Over The Top) services like WhatsApp for mobile money or voice, how to incorporate satellite operators into licensing, etc.

2. Infrastructure Gaps:
Togo’s core infrastructure still has gaps. Fiber backbone coverage inland is limited; there are vast areas (particularly in central and northern Togo) where no fiber runs nearby. This means cell towers in those areas are often backhauled via microwave links which have capacity constraints. Power infrastructure is another gap – as noted, many rural cell sites run on diesel generators due to lack of grid electricity, which is costly and prone to breakdowns, affecting network reliability. Last-mile connectivity in dense urban slums can also be a challenge; running fiber or even maintaining cell sites in crowded, low-income quarters can be difficult, so even in cities there are pockets of lesser coverage. Togo also only has one major data center (built under WARCIP) worldbank.org; a second one would improve redundancy. Local content caching is low – only 17% of top websites are reachable locally pulse.internetsociety.org, meaning most web traffic must traverse international links, adding latency and cost. Building more CDN nodes or caches in-country (like Google Global Cache or Facebook edge servers) would help, but requires convincing big providers that Togo has the demand and stable environment for it.

Resilience against climate and disaster is another infrastructure challenge: heavy rains or accidents have at times cut fiber lines (including the undersea cable cut in 2020 that disrupted WACS). While Equiano mitigates some risk by providing alternate routing, internal redundancy (like ring topologies in the national fiber) is needed so that a single cut doesn’t isolate a region.

3. Affordability and Poverty:
We discussed pricing, but it’s fundamentally a challenge that many Togolese live in poverty (over 50% in extreme poverty per IMF imf.org). Even the best infrastructure won’t be utilized if people cannot afford devices or data. So economic constraints are a persistent hurdle. The government and operators might need to consider more subsidized packages (e.g., free minimal data for everyone, or special social tariffs for students etc.). Without tackling affordability, the danger is that the internet becomes a tool primarily for the urban elite, exacerbating inequality.

4. Digital Literacy and Human Capacity:
A significant portion of the population, especially older adults and rural residents, lack the skills to use the internet effectively. Digital literacy includes basic navigation, understanding how to find information online, cybersecurity awareness (avoiding scams), etc. Togo’s adult literacy rate is around 63%, which means many can’t even read/write well in French (the main language of digital content there) – this is a foundational barrier. On top of that, knowledge of computers or smartphones isn’t widespread outside educated circles. The government and NGOs have held workshops and established community training centers, but scaling these efforts is challenging. There is also a language barrier: most content online is in English or French, whereas a lot of rural Togolese speak Ewe, Kabye, or other local languages primarily. Localizing content and services (e.g., voice assistants or IVR services in local tongues) would help bring value to non-francophones.

The gender gap in digital skills and access is notable – cultural factors mean women in rural areas have even less opportunity to use technology. Programs specifically targeting girls and women (like providing them training, or ensuring digital services for things like maternal health are available) are needed to close this gap.

In the tech industry itself, Togo has a budding startup scene, but it needs more skilled IT professionals to grow. The brain drain is a concern – talented developers might emigrate to Ghana, Nigeria, or abroad for better opportunities, leaving fewer to drive local content creation and innovation.

5. Security and Trust:
As more Togolese come online, issues of cybersecurity, privacy, and online scams are rising. Togo’s cybersecurity readiness scored only 33 out of 100 in ITU’s Global Cybersecurity Index pulse.internetsociety.org, indicating room for improvement in securing networks and training personnel. Already, some users have faced mobile money frauds or Facebook account hacks; these experiences can deter people from embracing online services. The government has to bolster its cyber defenses (they have set up a Cybersecurity Agency and are working on this) and also educate citizens on safe internet practices. Additionally, ensuring networks are resilient against potential malicious attacks (like DDoS or cable sabotage) is an ongoing effort.

6. Sustainability of Projects:
Many of the initiatives underway rely on donor funding or initial capital injections. Ensuring these are sustainable long-term is a challenge. For example, connecting 8,000 institutions with broadband is fantastic, but who will pay the monthly service for each school after the project ends? If not budgeted, there’s a risk infrastructure could go unused after initial enthusiasm. Similarly, community telecenters need maintenance and continuous training or they fall into disrepair. The government will need to plan for operational expenses, not just capital expenses, in these programs.

7. Geopolitical and Economic Risks:
Togo’s economy is relatively small; macroeconomic shocks (like the COVID-19 pandemic or global inflation surges) affect how much money people can spend on internet or how much the government can allocate to ICT. For instance, if fuel prices rise, generator-powered towers become costlier to run, possibly slowing network expansion. Political stability is also crucial – while Togo has been stable in recent years, any unrest (often in the past, protests have led to those mentioned internet shutdowns) can disrupt telecom services and investor confidence. The government has to maintain a stable, business-friendly climate to keep the investments flowing for digital projects.

In conclusion, Togo’s challenges in expanding internet access are multi-faceted: they include classic telecom issues (coverage, competition, cost) and broader socio-economic issues (literacy, poverty, gender disparities). The government and its partners are aware of these and many initiatives are aimed precisely at these pain points – e.g., regulatory reforms for competition, subsidized projects for rural coverage, training programs for digital skills. The success of Togo’s internet future lies in how well these challenges are managed and mitigated. If affordability can gradually improve, if infrastructure can reach the hard-to-reach, and if people can be empowered to use the internet productively and safely, then Togo’s digital transformation will truly be inclusive and sustainable.

Future Outlook for Internet Access and Broadband Expansion in Togo

The future of internet access in Togo looks promising, with strong momentum toward broader coverage, faster connections, and more digital innovation – provided the country stays the course on its plans. Here are some key aspects of the outlook toward the latter half of the 2020s:

• Near-Term Goals (by 2025): The government’s target of 95% population coverage with high-speed mobile and fixed broadband by 2025 is ambitious ifc.org. Achieving this would mean virtually every town and major village has 3G/4G service and many more have fiber or wireless broadband options. We can expect Togocom, boosted by IFC funding, to complete its 4G rollout to all remaining localities and likely begin 5G expansion beyond Lomé. Togocom might aim to cover other cities like Kara or Dapaong with 5G hotspots (especially as 5G handsets become more common). On the fixed side, GVA (Canalbox) will probably extend fiber beyond Lomé – maybe to secondary cities like Kpalimé or Sokodé if the business case allows. The national fiber backbone enhancements via projects like IDEA will by 2025 connect Lomé to the northern region with new fiber, thus enabling easier rollout of broadband in those areas togofirst.com. The result should be a shrinking of the urban-rural digital divide: perhaps instead of 38% national internet usage, we might see 50%+ internet penetration by 2025, with a significant portion of new users coming from rural communities going online for the first time.
• Leverage of Equiano Cable: By 2025, the Equiano cable will be fully integrated. As the Google blog projected, Togo’s internet speeds could double and prices fall ~14% thanks to Equiano blog.google. Already, as more ISPs tap into that capacity, we might see cheaper data bundles and introduction of higher-bandwidth offerings. For example, by 2025 a basic mobile data bundle might be, say, 2GB for the price that 1GB used to be, or fiber plans might upgrade from 50 Mbps to 100 Mbps at the same price point – these kinds of improvements often accompany new capacity. Also, Togo might sell capacity to landlocked neighbors like Burkina Faso or Niger via cross-border fiber, generating revenue and establishing itself as a regional internet transit hub.
• Entry of New Players?: There are rumors occasionally of a third mobile operator license to spark competition. While nothing concrete yet, the government could decide to license another operator (maybe an international brand like Orange or MTN) if it feels competition is insufficient. Even if not a full new operator, new MVNOs (Mobile Virtual Network Operators) could emerge to offer niche services (for example, a data-only MVNO focusing on IoT or a low-cost brand). On the broadband side, one could see more local ISPs popping up, especially if the open-access fiber backbone lets smaller companies deliver last-mile service. Community networks might also grow – e.g., cooperatives in villages using shared infrastructure to distribute connectivity.
• Satellite Internet Expansion: By the late 2020s, Starlink and potentially other LEO constellations will likely be operational in Togo and many African countries. This means no part of Togo will be truly offline if they have the means to pay. The cost of satellite gear might also come down (Starlink’s prices have been dropping in some markets). So the future could have scenarios like fishermen along Lake Togo using Starlink on their boats, or ecotourism lodges deep in national parks offering Wi-Fi via satellite – possibilities previously unattainable. If Amazon’s Kuiper service comes online, there could be price competition in satellite broadband too, which would benefit consumers.
• 5G and New Technologies: While 5G is just starting, by around 2025–2027 we might see 5G become mainstream in Togo’s cities, especially as more affordable 5G smartphones proliferate (likely many sub-$100 5G phones by then). This will unlock use cases like high-definition video streaming on mobile, advanced cloud services on phones, and possibly IoT (Internet of Things) applications. For instance, the port of Lomé or new industrial zones might use private 5G networks for logistics and automation. Additionally, fiber penetration to homes and businesses will keep growing. Perhaps by 2030, fiber could overtake DSL completely and reach into smaller towns, given the efforts underway.

Togo might also explore emerging tech like TV White Space or other wireless innovations to reach remote areas (some countries use unused TV frequencies to deliver rural broadband – it’s something that could supplement coverage in farming communities). Drones or high altitude balloons (like Loon project was, though that closed) could be revisited for disaster scenarios or temporary connectivity in hard terrain.

• Digital Economy Growth: More internet access sets the stage for a blossoming digital economy. We can expect Togo’s relatively small tech startup scene to expand. Already incubators in Lomé are nurturing fintech, e-commerce, and agritech startups. With better connectivity nationwide, these services will have bigger markets. For example, mobile banking and fintech could grow rapidly – Togo already had a success with its Novissi program and mobile money is widely used; in future, nearly all financial transactions might go digital. E-learning platforms could bring quality education to rural students. Telemedicine could link rural clinics with doctors in the capital. The government’s push for digital public services means by 2030 maybe most interactions with bureaucracy (paying taxes, registering a business, etc.) will be online, saving time and increasing transparency.
• Challenges to Watch: Of course, some potential headwinds: If not carefully managed, the concentration of market power could persist – hopefully competition or strong regulation mitigates that. Also, the sustainability of subsidized projects (like maintaining those 8,000 broadband connections at schools) will need budget commitment. On the security front, as more critical services move online, Togo will need to strengthen its cyber defenses to avoid disruptions or breaches. A positive note is that Togo is positioning itself as a cybersecurity leader – it even hosted a regional cybersecurity summit in 2022, indicating it wants to lead in that aspect, which bodes well pulse.internetsociety.org.
• Inclusive Growth: The future vision is that internet access in Togo becomes universal, affordable, and meaningful. By meaningful, it implies that even those in rural villages can use it in their daily life (whether to get weather info, market prices, or stay in touch with family abroad), not just an urban luxury. The combination of mobile broadband expansion, targeted subsidies or community access points, and digital literacy programs should gradually chip away at the digital divide. Internationally, Togo could become a case study of a small developing country that successfully leapfrogged: going from under 20% internet penetration in 2017 to perhaps 70-80% by 2030 togofirst.com, as suggested by some optimistic figures (Togo First even claimed internet penetration was 71% by 2021, albeit that figure likely meant something else) togofirst.com. If the trends hold, by the end of the decade, being offline in Togo might be as uncommon as not having a mobile phone today.

In conclusion, Togo’s trajectory in internet access is on an upward swing. With continued investments, supportive policy, and the ingenuity of its people (especially the younger generation eager to embrace technology), the country is well on its way to achieving a digital transformation. The “race to connect the nation” is not a short sprint but a marathon – however, Togo has picked up the pace remarkably in recent years and the finish line of a connected society is now within sight. The next few years will be critical to solidify the gains, ensure no one is left behind, and fully harness the internet’s potential to drive Togo’s development forward.

Sources:

1. DataReportal – Digital 2024: Togo (Internet user statistics and mobile connections) datareportal.com datareportal.com
2. Internet Society Pulse – Togo Country Report 2024/25 (Internet penetration, speeds, costs, and coverage) pulse.internetsociety.org pulse.internetsociety.org pulse.internetsociety.org
3. Internet Society Pulse – Togo Market Overview (ISP market share and competition) pulse.internetsociety.org pulse.internetsociety.org
4. GlobalTT – VSAT Satellite Internet in Togo (Information on OneWeb/Starlink offerings in Togo) globaltt.com
5. TeleGeography Blog – Starlink Expanding in Africa (Starlink’s rollout status in Africa, including Togo’s planned launch) blog.telegeography.com
6. Extensia Tech News – All 46 African countries to get Starlink… (Starlink launch schedule, Togo expected 2025) extensia.tech
7. Togo First – Broadband: CanalBox now has more subscribers… (Rise of GVA Canalbox and market stats as of 2021) togofirst.com togofirst.com
8. Togo First – Togo Advances Its Telecom Industry… (Telecom market structure, regulatory changes, and penetration rates) togofirst.com togofirst.com
9. IFC Press Release (2024) – IFC partners with Togocom… (IFC loan, digital transformation strategy goals) ifc.org ifc.org
10. Gizchina News – Google Equiano cable lands in Togo… (Equiano cable impact: bandwidth, cost reduction, jobs) gizchina.com gizchina.com
11. Google Africa Blog – Equiano subsea cable arrives in Togo (Expected outcome: doubling speeds to 21 Mbps, 14% price drop by 2025) blog.google
12. Togo First – IDEA $200M World Bank project (Improved Digital and Electricity Access project goals, fiber on power lines) togofirst.com togofirst.com
13. Togo First – Huawei MoU with Togo (ICT infrastructure cooperation agreement in 2024) togofirst.com
14. IMF “Finance & Development” – Interview with Cina Lawson (Mobile internet penetration 63% in 2020, digital ID plans) imf.org imf.org
15. Internet Society Pulse – Togo Highlights (38% population internet users; gender usage disparity) pulse.internetsociety.org pulse.internetsociety.org
16. Internet Society Pulse – Security and Resilience (Cybersecurity Index score; internet shutdown data) pulse.internetsociety.org pulse.internetsociety.org
17. World Bank Press Release (2021) – Improving Connectivity in Togo (WARCIP additional financing) (Support for data center, broadband coverage expansion) worldbank.org