The ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) has approved a fresh €50 million investment to support the construction and equipping of six new technical education and vocational training (TVET) centres in Togo. The funding was approved during the bank’s 92nd board meeting, held on June 30, 2025, and will be executed by the Dubai-based Planet One group.
The centres are expected to train around 3,480 young Togolese every year in different technical fields. These include electricity, mechanics, agri-food processing, building construction, and digital technology. The goal is to provide young people with practical skills that are in high demand in both the Togolese and wider West African job markets.
According to officials, the project supports Togo’s national development plan, known as the 2025 Roadmap, which prioritises vocational and technical education as a way of improving employment rates and national productivity. The government has identified youth unemployment as a major challenge and believes vocational training offers a realistic path to solving the issue.
The €50 million investment is part of a wider package of funding approved by EBID during the same meeting. In total, the bank committed €174 million and $125 million to development projects in energy, education, and industry across West Africa. The bank is the financial arm of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and plays a key role in supporting long-term development across the region.
Planet One, which will lead the implementation in Togo, has built a reputation in Africa for managing large-scale education infrastructure projects. The company has already modernised 48 training centres in Ghana, despite logistical delays during the COVID-19 pandemic. It has also started a 15-centre TVET project in Senegal and is working with governments in Sierra Leone and Guinea. The firm is also partnering with the University of Stirling (UAE) and the Scottish Qualification Authority to ensure its programmes meet global standards.
For the Togo project, Planet One has committed not only to build six new TVET centres but also to provide the latest international-standard equipment. According to its official plan, Planet One aims to build or upgrade a total of 28 vocational training centres in the country. This includes 16 brand-new, ultra-modern centres and the rehabilitation of 12 older ones. Additionally, the group is preparing to launch 21 STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) schools across various regions in Togo.
A start date for construction is yet to be announced, but authorities expect the centres to be completed and operational within two years. If the programme succeeds, it could serve as a model for other West African countries looking to boost youth employment and skills development.
Togo’s Minister of Technical Education and Handicrafts, Kokou Eké Hodin, has previously stated that vocational training is a pillar of the country’s job creation strategy. He noted that matching young people with the skills needed in modern economies would help reduce poverty and unlock Togo’s economic potential.
Stakeholders believe the new centres will significantly improve access to professional training in rural and urban areas, enhance private sector collaboration, and offer young people better chances of long-term employment. In addition, the centres are expected to contribute to gender inclusion by opening more opportunities for women in traditionally male-dominated fields.
The EBID’s continued commitment to education and skills development highlights the region’s growing focus on human capital as a driver of sustainable economic growth.
