Togo’s arcop clears perel plus tenders amid scrutiny

The dispute resolution committee (crd) of Togo’s public procurement regulation authority (ARCOP Togo) delivered its verdict on june 19, 2026, dismissing all allegations of irregularities surrounding the international tender for the Lomé electricity network expansion project (PEREL PLUS). Decision n°024-2026, issued after a thorough investigation, confirmed the legitimacy of tender n°003/dpi/prmp/dg/ceet/2026, effectively ending months of controversy.

rigorous scrutiny confirms tender legitimacy

Two anonymous complaints, filed on march 28 and april 8, 2026, had raised concerns about the PEREL PLUS tender process, including claims of a closed shortlist without prequalification, overrepresentation of foreign firms, lack of lot allocation, and excessive qualification criteria. However, the crd’s findings painted a different picture.

The committee’s investigation revealed that the tender process included an official prequalification phase, which filtered 15 interested parties down to just nine qualified candidates. This step alone addressed one of the central allegations, proving the procedure was far from opaque or exclusionary.

external financing rules shape tender structure

The PEREL PLUS project, backed by funding from the Agence française de développement, underwent additional layers of oversight. The tender dossier received clearance from both Togo’s national public procurement control directorate (DNCCP Togo) and the AFD, ensuring alignment with international funding standards.

The crd emphasized that in projects financed by external resources, donor requirements often override certain national procurement rules. In this case, the AFD’s guidelines influenced how the tender was structured, particularly regarding lot allocation—a point of contention in the original complaints.