The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has granted CFA400 million (US$660,000) to support assistance for refugees and displaced populations in northern Togo, as the country continues to face pressure from insecurity spilling over from the Sahel region.
The funding, which is being implemented through Togo’s National Civil Protection Agency (ANPC), targets the Savanes and Kara regions, where most displaced people and refugees are concentrated. A symbolic handover ceremony for the funds was held on Jan. 26, Togolese authorities said.
According to the ANPC, the resources will be used to purchase food and non-food items for vulnerable populations, as well as to finance the construction of basic social infrastructure, including boreholes and latrines, in host communities and displacement sites.
Togo has seen a steady rise in the number of refugees and internally displaced people in recent years, largely driven by violence linked to Islamist insurgencies in neighbouring Burkina Faso. The northern Savanes region, which borders Burkina Faso, has been particularly affected, prompting the government to reinforce security measures while stepping up humanitarian support.
Officials said the ECOWAS-funded programme is designed not only to address immediate humanitarian needs but also to ease the growing strain on host communities, many of which are already grappling with poverty and the economic impact of insecurity.
“This project strengthens the capacity of host families and helps relieve them, in support of government action, notably through food assistance and the construction of social facilities,” Yaya Seyda, director of emergency operations planning at the ANPC, said.
Beyond direct assistance, the programme is expected to generate short-term economic activity in the targeted regions by involving local suppliers and service providers in the procurement of goods and the construction of facilities. Authorities say this approach is intended to support local economies that have been weakened by repeated security incidents and disruptions to trade and farming.
The initiative also aligns with broader efforts by the Togolese government and its partners to combine humanitarian assistance with measures that support social cohesion between displaced populations and host communities.
Originally scheduled to end in December 2025, the programme has been extended until the end of March 2026 to address operational and logistical constraints, the ANPC said. Officials did not provide details on the challenges but said the extension would allow for more effective delivery of assistance to beneficiaries.
The refugees targeted by the programme fall under the protection framework of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which works with the Togolese authorities to register displaced people and coordinate aid.
Togo, a coastal country of about 8.5 million people, has generally been spared the large-scale violence seen in parts of the central Sahel. However, attacks and security incidents in its northern regions have increased since 2021, leading to the displacement of local populations and the arrival of refugees from neighbouring countries.
In response, the government has declared a state of emergency in the Savanes region, increased military deployments and launched development and resilience programmes aimed at addressing the root causes of insecurity, including poverty and lack of access to basic services.
ECOWAS, the 15-member regional bloc, has stepped up humanitarian and security support to its member states as instability linked to militant groups and political upheaval has spread across West Africa. The bloc has also faced internal challenges, including the withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, which have formed a separate alliance after a series of military coups.
Despite these tensions, ECOWAS officials say the organisation remains committed to supporting vulnerable populations across the region, particularly those affected by conflict and displacement.
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For Togo, authorities say the latest funding will help bridge immediate humanitarian gaps while longer-term solutions are pursued in coordination with international partners.
Humanitarian agencies warn that needs in northern Togo are likely to remain high in the coming months, as insecurity across the border continues and climate shocks, including erratic rainfall, further strain livelihoods in already fragile communities.
