Togo’s growing citizen discontent: an afrobarometer report

Despite official narratives celebrating the National Development Plan and stable macroeconomic growth, recent findings deliver a sharp rebuke to Faure Gnassingbé’s administration. The latest Afrobarometer survey paints a picture of a Togo struggling profoundly, with 62% of its citizens believing the country is heading in the wrong direction. The chasm between the ruling elite and the populace has never been wider, marked by an explosion of severe poverty, water shortages, and inadequate healthcare.

This stark assessment of public disillusionment has landed squarely on the desks of decision-makers in Lomé. More than six out of ten Togolese now perceive the nation as moving along an incorrect path, an alarming eleven-point increase since 2021. This erosion of confidence is not merely a fleeting sentiment but reflects deep disappointment with economic management, which 63% of Togolese now rate as fairly or very poor. This pervasive pessimism isn’t theoretical; it stems directly from daily life characterized by a continuous decline in purchasing power and a glaring absence of opportunities for a vibrant youth.

Beyond the often-cited GDP statistics championed by the government, the survey delved into