How to register a business in Togo. Costs, required documents, and step-by-step process for sole proprietorships and companies, including modifications and what gets rejected.
Togo has made registering a business one of the most straightforward processes in West Africa. Through the Centre de Formalités des Entreprises (CFE), you can have your business registered and your documents in hand in under four hours. Since 2010, over 179,000 companies have been created through the CFE, and the process continues to improve.
This guide covers everything you need to know whether you are registering as an individual or as a company, and whether you are a Togolese national, an ECOWAS citizen, or a foreigner from outside the region.
The two types of business registration
Before you begin, you need to decide which structure fits your situation.
- A sole proprietorship (personne physique) is for individuals operating a business in their own name.
- A company (personne morale) is a legal entity, such as an SARL or SA, with its own legal identity separate from its founders.
Both are registered through the CFE, and both can be completed in under four hours.
What you receive after registration
Regardless of which structure you choose, completing the process gives you a single business creation card that includes three things:
RCCM number - your registration in the Registry of Commerce and Movable Credit
NIF - your Tax Identification Number
CNSS number - your National Social Security Fund registration
This single card replaces what used to require multiple separate procedures across different government offices.
Registering a sole proprietorship
Documents required:
- Completed declaration form (Déclaration Po)
- Photocopy of your national identity card if you are Togolese, your ECOWAS consular card if you are an ECOWAS citizen, or your passport if you are a foreigner from outside ECOWAS
- Photocopy of your residence permit, residence certificate, or valid visa if you are a foreigner Certified copy of your diploma or degree certificate if you are registering for a liberal profession
- Copy of your marriage certificate if you are married
- Declaration of non-conviction
- One passport-format identity photo of the business manager or director
- A hand-drawn location plan of the business premises
Costs:
Togolese nationals and ECOWAS citizens - 25,400 CFA francs
Foreigners from outside ECOWAS - 30,400 CFA francs
Processing time - 4 hours
Registering a company
Documents required:
- Completed declaration form (Déclaration Mo)
- Photocopy of your national identity card if you are Togolese, your ECOWAS consular card if you are an ECOWAS citizen, or your passport if you are a foreigner from outside ECOWAS Photocopy of your residence permit, residence certificate, or valid visa if you are a foreigner
- Copy of your marriage certificate if you are married
- Declaration of non-conviction
- Copy of the company statutes (articles of association)
- One passport-format identity photo of the company manager or director
- A hand-drawn location plan of the business premises
Costs:
Togolese nationals and ECOWAS citizens - 28,250 CFA francs
Foreigners from outside ECOWAS - 33,250 CFA francs
Processing time - 4 hours
The declaration of non-conviction
Both sole proprietorships and companies require a declaration of non-conviction signed by the applicant. This is a sworn statement confirming that you have not been subject to a criminal conviction, a trading ban, or any legal incapacity that would prevent you from conducting commercial activity under OHADA law.
You have 75 days from the date of registration to follow up this declaration with an official extract from your criminal record submitted to the Lomé tribunal. The registrar has three months to carry out verification and may withdraw your registration if the declaration is found to be inaccurate.
Why your application might be rejected
Understanding the rejection criteria before you submit saves time. Applications are rejected for the following reasons.
Business name rejections:
Names that are identical or too similar to an existing registered business Names that contain insulting, discriminatory, vulgar, or religiously or racially offensive language Names that are misleading about the nature of the business, for example using the word "bio" or "organic" for a business whose products are not certified as such
Document rejections:
Identity photos that are not in passport format Expired identity documents Scanned documents that are illegible or of poor quality
Modifying a sole proprietorship
If you need to change your business name, business purpose, or registered address after registration, the modification process is separate.
Documents required:
- Completed declaration form (Déclaration Po)
- Photocopy of your identity document
- Photocopy of your residence permit or visa if you are a foreigner
- Copy of your marriage certificate if applicable
- Declaration of non-conviction
- Copy of your existing single business creation card
- Written modification request addressed to the CFE Director
- One passport-format identity photo of the business manager
Costs:
Togolese nationals and ECOWAS citizens - 22,700 CFA francs
Foreigners from outside ECOWAS - 27,700 CFA francs
Processing time - 48 hours
Modifying a company
If your company needs to change its name, purpose, registered address, management, or share ownership, the process covers all of these under one modification procedure.
Documents required:
- Completed declaration form (Déclaration Mo)
- Photocopy of your identity document
- Photocopy of your residence permit or visa if you are a foreigner
- Copy of your marriage certificate if applicable
- Declaration of non-conviction
- Copy of the minutes of the modification meeting (procès-verbal)
- Updated copy of the company statutes
- Copy of the share transfer deed if shares are being transferred
- Identity documents of all shareholders
- Copy of the existing single business creation card
- One passport-format identity photo of the company manager or director
Costs:
Togolese nationals and ECOWAS citizens - 24,125 CFA francs
Foreigners from outside ECOWAS - 29,125 CFA francs
Processing time - 48 hours
How to apply
The CFE offers both online and in-person registration. You can begin the process on the CFE website, where you can also check name availability before submitting, download all required declaration forms, and complete your application online before visiting in person.
The CFE is located at the corner of Avenue de la Présidence and Avenue Georges Pompidou, inside the Chambre de Commerce et d'Industrie du Togo building in Lomé. You can reach them by phone at +228 22 20 63 60 or by email at cfe@cfetogo.tg.
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