If you find it quite uncomfortable choosing amidst countries like Senegal, Mauritius, Mauritania,, Niue, Sierra Leone, Benin Republic, and Haiti, Togo is one of the countries you might consider relocating to as a Nigerian. It is an African country with wide African cultures and traditions. You can travel to Togo and still enjoy quite some things you might miss as a Nigerian. It has various incredible natural features, wildlife and is relatively safe for living.
This article aims to provide every necessary information you need to make a firm decision if you intend to travel to Togo. Enjoy the ride.
Togo is one of the most popular African countries located in the Western part of Africa. It shares its borders with Burkina Faso, Ghana, and Benin. Lome is the largest city and capital of Togo. It is a French-speaking country which practices a mixed economy and relies on subsistence agriculture. Togo is one of the members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
According to worldometers.info, as of September 15, 2022, the current population of Togo is 8.7 million. This makes the country rank number 102 in the list of 235 countries. Togo has a youthful population with almost 60% of the population under the age of 20 years.
The people of Togo are usually regarded as Togolese. They can be divided into 37 tribal ethnic groups. The popular ones are:
Togo is a multilingual country with about 44 languages but the official language spoken is French. Other national languages spoken are Ewe and Kabiye. Also, the Togolese also speak little English and their mother tongue.
Majority of the Togolese practice Christianity. Many of them are Roman Catholic. One-third of Togo’s population practices other ancestral forms of belief especially Yoruba-based sects associated with Vodou also known as voodoo. Other population practices Islamic religion.
As of 2019, there were about 279,142 immigrants in Togo. This means these foreigners occupied about 3.24% of their population. Most of these immigrants are citizens of countries like Benin, Niger, Ghana, Nigeria and Burkina Faso.
Do you know you can travel to Togo without a visa as a Nigerian? Yes, Togo is a visa-free country. This is because it is a member of the Economic community of West African States. This means that citizens of Nigeria and the other 16 states can visit Togo without a visa. According to visalist.io, below are the process you need to go through:
You can only be permitted to stay for just 30-90 days. You can extend your stay by applying for an extension at the Directorate General of National Documentation of the Togo Ministry of the Interior.
1. Kpalime
Kpalime is a city located near the Ghanaian border. This city is known for its focus on the weaving industry and surrounding cocoa plantation. It also houses a historic building like the Roman Catholic Church built in 1913. One of its attractions is the spectacular view of Lake Volta and Mount Agou.
2. Koutammakou
Koutammakou is popularly referred to as the ‘Land of the Batammariba’ is a region of rustic villages built from adobe walls and thatched.
3. Lome
Lome, the capital city is the perfect place to relax and enjoy after exploring Togo’s hills and nature. It is also said to have beautiful countryside. It was founded in the 1800s by German and some European traders. It is a market town where various interesting cultural activities are carried out. Voodoo is highly practised in Lome as various people sprawl in and out of fetish stalls and of talismans. They also hold in high regard the explorative exhibitions of the Togo National Museum.
Lome is also popular for its massive local bazaar known as Grand Marche. This is the set over three floors.
4. Togoville
Togoville is located in the southern part of Togo by Lake Togo. It houses various small houses built in the traditional way with straw roofs and red sands. This depicts the historical importance to the country. Tourists visiting this place are opportune to see the historic treaty signed with the then ruler Mlapa by the German. It was a colonial treaty. Togoville also has various Voodoo shrines, Chief Mlapa V’s royal palace and the spectacular Cathedral Notre Dame.
5. Fosse aux Lions National Park
This park started in 1954 which covers about 1650 hectares. It is worth visiting for sightseeing especially to enjoy the views of various animals displaying their animalistic behaviours. Various numbers of animals like elephants, patas monkeys, antelopes, and vervet monkeys.
6. Fazao-Malfakassa National Park
This is one of the National parks in Togo that is located in the central west region of Togo. It is close to the country’s border with neighbouring country Ghana. It has a natural and long-lasting vegetation cover. It is well covered with grasslands at the hilltops, woods, and thick forests. It is also a home for various primates, birds and various species of animals and reptiles.
7. Agbodrafo
Agbodrafo is one of the interesting places you need to visit. It is the second town in southern Togo located on the banks of Lake Togo. It is popularly known and visited because of its popular resort hotel known as The Hotel Le Lac.
The currency spent in Togo is the West African CFA franc. Other African countries like Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Niger, and Senegal also use this currency. The exchange rate for converting West Africa CFA Francs to Nigerian Naira is 1XOF= 0.122NGN.
According to salaryexplorer.com, a person working in Togo typically earns around 527,000 XOF per month. Salaries range from 133,000 XOF to 2,350,000 XOF. This is the average monthly salary including housing, transport and other benefits.
To apply for a Togo work permit or visa, you can follow two processes. You can either apply on arrival at one of Togo’s ports of entry or at an embassy or consulate in your country of residence.
According to careersinafrica.com, Togo is a fast developing country in Africa, and this has made it attractive to francophone jobs seekers at early career and senior levels. To get jobs as a foreigner in Togo, you can check out sites like Overseas jobs, Go Abroad, and LinkedIn.
Togo is a relatively safe country but you still need to be careful and take caution. Common crimes like violent crime, theft and pickpocketing are high in Togo. Petty crimes are pretty common in the capital city, Lome. This is why you need to be extra careful while in the city. There is also a high rate of scamming activities. This comes in the form of friendship, romance, employment opportunities, business ventures and a lot more.
You cannot afford to bear the consequences of carelessness in this country. Avoid letting anyone handle your ATM and credit cards. If there is a need for that, make sure you watch carefully. Also bear it in mind that ATM machines can be rigged.
The rate of kidnapping in Togo is very low. However, as a foreigner, it is advisable that you keep a low profile and take necessary caution in order not to be a victim of kidnapping.
Also due to political instability in the country, you need to be cautious. This is because terrorism is quite a threat to the security of the citizens and foreigners.
The average cost of living for a family of four for a month cost 864,082NGN (1,319,454CFA) without rent.
A single person’s estimated monthly costs are 246,851NGN (376,942CFA). Cost of living in Togo is on average 19.22% higher than in Nigeria but rent is 81.59% lower than in Nigeria.
According to wego.com, the cheapest flight from Nigeria to Togo is from Lagos to Lome is 247,022 NGN.
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