Why it Matters
Togo’s rail link between the Port of Lomé and the Adétikopé Industrial Platform, will be central to the country’s wider logistics strategy, as it is intended to move containers by rail between the Autonomous Port of Lomé and the Adétikopé Industrial Platform. This will reduce heavy goods vehicle traffic around the port area while improving the efficiency of port and industrial operations.
The programme also links rail investment with urban mobility and agricultural market access. By combining freight rail rehabilitation, feeder-road improvements and support for logistics corridors, PASLT positions Togo’s transport network as part of a broader regional trade and value-chain development strategy.
The World Bank Group has approved US$200 million in financing from the International Development Association (IDA) for Togo’s Transport Connectivity and Logistics Improvement Program, known locally as PASLT.
The financing, equivalent to EUR 170.8 million, was approved on 16 June 2026 and will support the first phase of a broader programme aimed at strengthening Togo’s transport and logistics systems. The programme focuses on three areas: the Lomé-Adétikopé railway link, urban mobility in Greater Lomé, and improved access between agricultural production areas and local, regional and international markets.
Under the rail component, funding will support the rehabilitation of the railway line between the Autonomous Port of Lomé and the Adétikopé Industrial Platform. The objective is to enable containers to be transferred by rail between the port and the industrial platform, reducing pressure on road transport and improving the efficiency of port and industrial operations.
The first phase will also target chronic congestion around the Port of Lomé, heavy vehicle movements and pollution in the Greater Lomé Metropolitan Area. According to the World Bank, the programme is expected to improve the living environment and mobility conditions for around 2.2 million inhabitants through improved public transport services.
In rural areas, the programme will support the rehabilitation of feeder roads linking farms to markets. This is expected to benefit around 400,000 people, including 51% women, in the Kara, Savanes, Plateaux and Plaine de Mô regions. The investments are intended to improve access to public services and economic opportunities, while supporting the movement of agricultural products and reducing post-harvest losses.
The programme also includes support for Planned Agricultural Development Zones, known as ZAAPs, by improving connectivity between high-potential agricultural areas, markets and logistics centres. The World Bank said the investments are expected to strengthen agri-food value chains and support Togo’s position as a regional logistics hub.
According to the World Bank’s October 2025 project concept documentation, the programme has been structured in several phases or Series of Projects (SOP).
A second phase, subject to future preparation and justification, would scale up activities initiated under the first phase. This could include the renewal of railway infrastructure to allow heavier trains to operate at 18 tonnes per axle, up from 15 tonnes per axle. The concept documentation also refers to the possible acquisition of rolling stock, including wagons and battery-powered electric locomotives, as well as interventions to improve railway safety at level crossings.
The second phase would also extend infrastructure support to agropoles and agro-processing zones in the Centrale and Maritime regions. Further support for urban mobility in Greater Lomé would depend on progress made during the first phase on the institutional framework for urban transport.
“This programme represents a major strategic opportunity for Togo to reinforce its position as the primary transport and logistics hub for the sub-region and beyond, leveraging the Port of Lomé as a strategic asset,” said Mr Verheijen, World Bank Group Resident Representative for Togo. “It will help stimulate job creation, support the development of value chains, and boost the country’s ability to attract quality private sector investment.”
The World Bank said all infrastructure financed through the project will be designed to withstand the effects of climate change. The programme is also expected to support road safety and create faster and more secure transport opportunities.
