Togo Digital Acceleration Project

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The proposed Togo Digital Acceleration Project is designed under a series of projects (SOP) approach to signal long-term commitment of the World Bank to the digital agenda in Togo in support of strategic priorities of the Government of Togo (GoT), including “Togo 2025 Government Roadmap” and sectoral strategy Digital Togo 2025. The SOP 1 is articulated around three main components focused on digital infrastructure (supply), digital skills and entrepreneurship (demand), and enabling policy environment (cross-cutting analogue foundation), in addition to a project management component. These components seek to (i) expand resilient and affordable broadband infrastructure with a focus on priority social sectors, such as education and health (connecting education and health facilities as well as townhalls); (ii) boost digital skills and digital entrepreneurship to drive digital adoption and job creation, with a focus on the youth, women and vulnerable groups; (iii) enhance the enabling legal, regulatory, and institutional environment for a vibrant, safe, and inclusive digital economy; and (iv) support project management. A second, overlapping project (SOP2) will build on these foundations to bring impact at scale with a stronger focus on regional integration. Component 1 will aim to expand affordable broadband connectivity by densifying the distribution network (backhaul ) as well as extending last-mile connectivity to electrified, but not connected to internet public facilities (education, health, and townhalls) under a technology neutral approach. The ambition of the GoT is to provide all education and health institutions as well as townhalls with affordable, high-quality, and resilient broadband connectivity, connecting 6,849 education institutions with more than 100 students (1,488 under SOP1 and 5,361 under SOP2), and 804 health establishments (253 under SOP1 and 551 under SOP2), and 136 townhalls (all to be connected under SOP1) . The engagement will be national in scope (with the bidding split in six geographic lots covering the entire territory), impacting more than 1.4 million students and nearly 6,000 hospital beds. Under an MFD / PCE approach, the connectivity expansion anchored in a technology neutral approach will leverage catalytic public funds to de-risk the market by financing infrastructure deployment at the backhaul level and thus crowd in private sector investments for the last-mile connectivity. The approach has been developed and refined in consultations with the private sector (conducted jointly by the Ministry of Digital Economy and Digital Transformation [MENTD] and KPMG) in February 2024 and in early October 2024; additional public-private consultations will be conducted prior to the launch of bidding. The project (under SOP2) will aim to include complementary investments to ensure effective use of the provided connectivity in targeted institutions (for example, internal wiring / cabling work and equipping establishments with suitable terminals / setting up computer classrooms, etc.). Component 2 will aim to equip people with in-demand digital skills to drive their employability and participation in the digital economy, while supporting the entrepreneurship ecosystem to create scalable businesses and jobs. The project interventions under this Component will aim to address job creation challenges and operationalize some of the recommendations Togo Jobs Diagnostic (P175453). Subcomponent 2.1 will support establishing a Techno Hub in Lome, positioning it as a regional innovation and incubation hub, providing an array of trainings (including virtual), networking, mentorship, incubation, acceleration programs for individuals (including microentrepreneurs) and enterprises (at various stages of growth and from the informal sector). The interventions will help create a pipeline of viable Togolese start-ups and businesses poised for expansion, contributing to tackling pervasive informality, while supporting job creation, economic diversification, and productivity growth. Subcomponent 2.2 will support the establishment of a knowledge network across the country to engage various groups of the population in personalized and collaborative learning and networking. The knowledge network will represent long branches of Lome-based techno hub to equitably spread the benefits of trainings, bootcamps and job support to other regions. Component 3 will finance technical assistance (TA) activities for MENTD and other key project / sectoral stakeholders, such as telecom regulator (ARCEP) and cybersecurity agency (ANCy) to close key legal and regulatory gaps (integrating gender-informed inclusion measures and environmental policy approaches such as green ICT standards), enhance people's trust in digital transactions, and boost digital public services delivery and uptake. This component will include support to the GoT to develop a national strategy on climate smart digital infrastructure that will establish an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) program to reduce the digital sector’s carbon and environmental footprint through e-waste collection, dismantling, refurbishing, and recycling. Efficient recycling of e-waste can greatly reduce the demand for virgin raw materials, thus contributing to limit greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Component 4 will provide support for the management and implementation of project-associated activities. Project financing under this Component will cover operating and staff costs of the project implementation unit (PIU) to be established under MENTD. The ultimate objective would be for the PIU staff to progressively transfer the knowledge and responsibility for project management to MENTD staff, paving the way for sustainable project management going forward. This Component will also cover independent audits and learning/training for the project implementation team and key implementation partners as well as community engagement and communications, including a grievance redress mechanism (GRM), project communication, and citizen engagement.The project is fully aligned with a new World Bank Group’s (WBG’s) Country Partnership Framework (CPF) FY25-29 for Togo (Report No. 185419-TG), which identifies digital technology as a critical cross-cutting enabler for achieving its high-level objectives (HLOs). Project Components 1 and 2 will contribute to HLO2 (improving human capital), specifically addressing Objective 4 (improving the quality of education and health services), by (i) connecting health and education facilities to internet; (ii) helping people, particularly the youth, women, and PWD, access educational content and develop digital and other skills in line with labor market needs; and (iii) exploring opportunities to strengthen Togo’s digital and start-up ecosystem. Furthermore, Component 1 will support HLO3 (promoting inclusive and sustainable territorial development), namely Objective 6 (increasing access to climate resilient infrastructure and services), by expanding affordable and climate-resilient broadband connectivity, while leveraging private capital. This will enhance digital inclusion in underserved and remote areas and strengthen community resilience to climate change by providing reliable access to information and services (Objective 7). Finally, the project interventions under Component 2 seeking to boost digital skills and entrepreneurship will underpin quality employment growth in the private sector (HLO1).