Togo has assumed the rotating presidency of the Council of Ministers of the Organization for the Harmonization of Business Law in Africa (OHADA) for the next 12 months, succeeding Chad, the regional body said Monday.
The decision was taken at the close of the 60th session of the OHADA Council of Ministers, held last week in N’Djamena, Chad.
Togo’s Minister of Justice and Human Rights, Pacôme Yawovi Adjourouvi, will chair the council during the mandate. His term will focus on facilitating trade and investment across member states and strengthening legal certainty for business activities, in line with OHADA’s core mission.
Adjourouvi said his priority would be improving the business climate within the OHADA zone, which spans much of West and Central Africa and represents a key legal framework for private sector activity in the region.
“This mandate strengthens Togo’s regional leadership and reflects its commitment to promoting an attractive and competitive business environment in Africa,” he said.
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OHADA was established on October 17, 1993, in Mauritius, with the aim of harmonising business laws among its member countries to create a predictable and secure legal environment for investors. The organisation currently comprises 17 countries, most of them French-speaking, including Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Over the past three decades, OHADA has adopted a series of uniform acts governing commercial law, company law, secured transactions, insolvency procedures and arbitration, helping to standardise legal rules across national borders.
Togo’s assumption of the presidency comes as the country has stepped up reforms aimed at improving its own investment climate. In recent years, the government has introduced institutional and regulatory changes designed to simplify business procedures, strengthen judicial efficiency and attract foreign investment.
Authorities in Lomé have sought to position the country as a regional logistics and services hub, leveraging its port infrastructure and legal reforms to boost economic competitiveness.
During its presidency, Togo is expected to oversee discussions on further legal reforms within OHADA, as member states seek to adapt business laws to evolving economic realities, including digitalisation, regional integration and cross-border trade.
Analysts say effective leadership within OHADA is increasingly important as African countries look to deepen intra-regional trade and improve investor confidence amid global economic uncertainty.
