Togo remained heavily reliant on Asian and European suppliers in the third quarter of 2025, with China, France and India accounting for more than a third of the country’s total imports, according to official data released by the national statistics institute, INSEED.
China consolidated its position as Togo’s largest supplier, exporting goods worth 114.8 billion CFA francs during the quarter, equivalent to 25.8 percent of total imports. Import volumes from China reached 158,700 tonnes, underscoring the dominance of Chinese manufactured goods, machinery and consumer products in the Togolese market.
France ranked a distant second, supplying 29.6 billion CFA francs worth of goods, or 6.6 percent of imports, followed by India with 27.3 billion CFA francs, representing a 6.1 percent share. Nigeria placed fourth with 5.3 percent, while Japan, Saudi Arabia and Malaysia each accounted for between 3.7 percent and 3.9 percent.
Overall imports totaled 504.9 billion CFA francs in the July-September period, with volumes reaching 1.59 million tonnes. Compared with the same period a year earlier, import values rose 10.9%, while volumes surged 37.4%, reflecting both higher trade activity and increased flows of low-value bulk goods.
The country posted a trade deficit of 255.8 billion CFA francs during the quarter, a persistent feature of its external accounts that officials often attribute to Togo’s role as a re-export hub rather than domestic overconsumption.
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Energy products dominated the import bill. Petroleum oils and related products amounted to 89.9 billion CFA francs, accounting for 17.6 percent of total imports. Other major categories included vehicles at 19.9 billion CFA francs, medicines at 18.0 billion CFA francs, and refined palm oil at 16.1 billion CFA francs.
Much of the imported merchandise is destined for onward shipment to neighboring markets in West Africa. The Port of Lomé, one of the region’s main deep-water ports, plays a central role in facilitating these trade flows, serving landlocked countries and coastal economies across the Gulf of Guinea.
The data also highlight Togo’s continued dependence on Asian suppliers, particularly China and India, while European partners such as France retain a smaller but still strategic presence, especially in pharmaceuticals and industrial goods.
Trade within the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) remains significant, reinforcing Lomé’s position as a commercial gateway for the sub-region. Economists note that this structure supports logistics, transport and services activity, even as it contributes to recurring trade deficits.
As import growth continues to outpace exports, authorities face the challenge of balancing Togo’s hub-driven trade model with efforts to strengthen domestic production and reduce long-term external imbalances.
Togo’s import structure reflects its role as a regional trading and logistics hub rather than a purely consumption-driven market. Over the past decade, the country has positioned itself as a gateway for goods destined for landlocked and coastal West African economies, leveraging the strategic location and efficiency of the Port of Lomé, one of the region’s few deep-water ports capable of handling large container vessels.
China has steadily emerged as Togo’s dominant supplier, driven by competitively priced manufactured goods, machinery, electronics and consumer products. Asian partners more broadly including India and Japan have gained market share as Togolese importers and re-exporters source lower-cost inputs for regional distribution.
European suppliers, led by France, remain important, particularly for pharmaceuticals, industrial equipment and specialized goods, though their share has declined relative to Asia. Energy imports, especially refined petroleum products, continue to weigh heavily on the import bill, reflecting limited domestic refining capacity.
Trade within the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) also shapes import flows, as goods entering Togo are frequently redistributed across neighboring markets. This structure explains persistent trade deficits, which authorities view as a by-product of Lomé’s re-export role rather than a sign of weak domestic demand alone.
Overall, Togo’s supplier profile underscores its dependence on external production centers particularly Asia while highlighting its growing importance as a commercial transit hub for the wider Gulf of Guinea and West African region.
