**Togo Dissolves Free‑Zone Administration, Transfers Responsibilities to Investment Promotion Agency**
*Lomé, 26 August 2026* – The Togolese government restructured its investment‑promotion framework on Wednesday, 26 August 2026, when the Council of Ministers adopted decrees that dissolve the Société d’administration de la zone franche (SAZOF) and expand the mandate of the Agence de promotion des investissements et de la zone franche (API‑ZF).
The new regulatory framework, issued under the 2019 Investment Code, outlines the duties, organization and operating procedures of the API‑ZF. In addition to its existing functions, the agency will now oversee the planning, management and allocation of industrial zones. The reforms also introduce stricter transparency and control mechanisms for granting licences and incentives to investors.
A government spokesperson said the changes aim to provide “a more coherent, flexible and efficient institutional framework that can sustainably support Togo’s attractiveness, increase private investment and foster industrial development.”
**Transfer of SAZOF’s Assets and Personnel**
Created in 1994, SAZOF was responsible for administering the country’s industrial free zone and assisting the companies located there. Under the new decrees, SAZOF’s missions, assets, obligations and staff will be transferred to API‑ZF in accordance with the Investment Code. The government indicated that the integration is intended to streamline public investment‑promotion services and strengthen API‑ZF’s operational capacity.
**Impact on the Free‑Zone Sector**
Official data show that since its inception, SAZOF approved 141 enterprises, of which 91 remain active. In 2024, investments in the free zone amounted to 425.664 billion CFA francs, representing roughly 7 % of Togo’s gross domestic product. The same year, the zone generated close to 19 000 direct jobs for Togolese workers.
With SAZOF’s dissolution, API‑ZF becomes the principal institution tasked with promoting investments and developing both industrial and free‑zone projects in Togo. The reforms coincide with the government’s broader strategy to mobilise private capital as part of its 2026‑2031 development roadmap.
**Background**
Togo has pursued a series of business‑environment reforms in recent years, including measures to improve company creation, contract enforcement, cross‑border trade, construction permits, electricity connections, property transfer, public procurement and tax administration. The latest restructuring of the investment‑promotion apparatus is presented as a continuation of these efforts.
Article and image source: togofirst.com
