Lomé is abuzz with the latest financial development: the World Bank Group has just greenlit a substantial $200 million package aimed at modernizing Togo’s transport infrastructure and revitalizing its struggling railway network. Official statements laud this move, heralding a transformed Togo destined to become an “indispensable logistics hub” for the Sahel region. Yet, beneath the veneer of technocratic pronouncements and ceremonial handshakes, a pressing question emerges: how can a reputable financial institution entrust such a pivotal portfolio to a government whose economic governance is largely defined by its opacity?

By channeling hundreds of millions to a state that consistently struggles to demonstrate fiscal discipline, the World Bank risks underwriting yet another illusory logistical endeavor.

The railway’s promise versus the reality of mismanagement

At the core of this ambitious initiative lies the pledge to rehabilitate the vital railway line connecting the Autonomous Port of Lomé to the Adétikopé Industrial Platform (PIA). On paper, the concept of shifting freight from road to rail to alleviate urban congestion appears highly appealing. However, the reality of Togo’s railway sector paints a starkly different picture: it is a graveyard of neglected infrastructure, plagued for decades by chronic underinvestment in maintenance and short-sighted policy decisions.

Entrusting the management of such intricate projects to Togo’s bureaucratic apparatus seems like a blind gamble. The nation frequently faces criticism for the sluggish pace of its structural reforms and the inefficiency of its public investments. Allocating $200 million for rail development without first ensuring the administration possesses the requisite skills, transparency, and rigor to manage these funds effectively is akin to putting the cart before the horse. At best, this represents amateurism; at worst, it rewards poor governance.

A logistics hub or a financial sieve?

Togo frequently envisions itself as the primary gateway to the Sahelian hinterland. Nevertheless, the reality of the Lomé-Ouagadougou-Niamey corridor tells a different story: it is characterized by burdensome administrative procedures, customs hurdles, and, critically, a pervasive level of systemic corruption that deters economic operators. The Port of Lomé, despite its technical capabilities, remains entangled in corruption scandals and instances of preferential treatment, underscoring the porous nature of its financial circuits.

Injecting fresh capital into infrastructure without simultaneously reforming the business environment will yield no lasting solutions. As long as nepotism and the absence of political alternation solidify institutional rigidities, donor funds will primarily serve to bolster the patronage networks of those in power, rather than genuinely benefiting the real economy. By failing to condition its grants on a rigorous fight against the embezzlement of public funds, the international community inadvertently contributes to the country’s economic stagnation.

The international institutions’ inexplicable oversight

This sudden surge of generosity from the World Bank prompts scrutiny of its own evaluation criteria. How can such a blank check be justified when Togo faces urgent social crises—in health, education, and access to water—that are largely neglected by the national budget? The regime of Faure Gnassingbé has mastered the art of crafting “showcase projects” to impress development partners, all while perpetuating the nation’s internal structural vulnerabilities.

This $200 million program will only exacerbate Togo’s moral and financial debt, offering no guarantee of a return on investment for its citizens. For Togo to gain credibility on the international stage, it must first demonstrate transparent resource management. Until then, this funding appears strikingly similar to a blank check handed to a regime that has made resource capture a defining characteristic of its governance.