Your quick guide on talent and labor compliance norms in Togo
Capital
Lomé
Currency
West African CFA franc
Languages
French, Ewé, Kabiyé
Payroll Frequency
Monthly
GDP per Capita
$1,006.97
Employer Tax
18%
Talent Overview
Togo is one of the smallest countries in the West African coast, sharing its border with Ghana, Benin, and Burkina Faso. The country is home to a population of 8.5 million, the majority of which is dependent on agriculture and commerce. The GDP of the country is 8.41 USD billion, and the GDP growth stands at 5.3%.
Major economic hubs:
Lomé, Sokodé, Kara
Skills in demand:
Agriculture specialists, horticulture specialists, IT personnel, programmers
Local Universities
The top local universities in Togo are as follows:
Local: 1
World : 6735
Local: 2
World : 10145
Local: 3
World : 11279
Local: 4
World : 13416
Salary Data
Some common jobs in Togo with average monthly salary are:
| Job Title | Average Monthly Salary (in XOF) | Average Monthly Salary (in USD) |
| Financial Manager | 1,030,000 XOF | 1,700.02 USD |
| General Manager | 934,000 XOF | 1,541.57 USD |
| Business Developer Manager | 882,000 XOF | 1,455.74 USD |
| Financial Analyst | 661,000 XOF | 1,090.98 USD |
| Business Analyst | 705,000 XOF | 1,163.61 USD |
| Project Manager | 683,000 XOF | 1,127.29 USD |
Talent Sourcing Tips
The Labour Code of 2006 and Inter-professional Collective Agreement of 2011 regulate the employment relationships in Togo. All employers and employees must abide by these regulations to ensure compliant hiring and management. The following sections cover important points highlighted in these laws.
All employment contracts in Togo must be in written format in French and include details such as the employee’s identity, date of hiring, salary breakup, length of the contract, terms and conditions, employer’s information, and the employee benefits.
The probation period in Togo varies with the job role and position, as given in the table below:
| Job role/position | Probation period |
| General employees | 1 month |
| Technicians, associates and supervisors | 3 months |
| Managers | 6 months |
| Date | Name | Type |
| 1 Jan | New Year | Public Holiday |
| 1 Apr | Easter Monday | Public Holiday |
| 10 Apr | Eid al-Fitr | Public Holiday |
| 27 Apr | Independence Day | Public Holiday |
| 1 May | Labour Day | Public Holiday |
| 9 May | Ascension Day | Public Holiday |
| 20 May | Whit Monday | Public Holiday |
| 17 Jun | Tabaski | Public Holiday |
| 21 Jun | Day of the Martyrs | Public Holiday |
| 15 Aug | Assumption of Mary | Public Holiday |
| 1 Nov | All Saints’ Day | Public Holiday |
| 25 Dec | Christmas Day | Public Holiday |
| Type of Leave | Time Period | Mandatory |
| Annual/Earned Leave | 21 days | Yes |
| Sick Leave |
|
Yes |
| Maternity Leave | 14 weeks (8 weeks before and 6 weeks after birth) | Yes |
Payroll
Payroll Cycle
Togo follows a monthly payroll cycle
Minimum Wage
Minimum Wage: The minimum wage in Togo is given according to the table below:
Overtime Pay
The standard working hours in Togo are 40 hours per week. Employees who dedicate their time beyond these hours qualify for overtime payment. The overtime pay is given at the following rate:
Bonus
Togo does not mandate 13th month pay.
Taxes
| Contribution | Rate |
| Social security | 17.5% |
| Payroll tax on gross salaries | 3% |
| Contribution | Rate |
| Social security | 4% |
| Income slab (in XOF) | Tax rate (in %) |
| XOF 0 – XOF 900,000 | 0.5% |
| XOF 900,001 – XOF 4,000,000 | 7% |
| XOF 4,000,001 – XOF 6,000,000 | 15% |
| XOF 6,000,001 – XOF 10,000,000 | 25% |
| XOF 10,000,001 – 1 XOF 5,000,000 | 30% |
| More than XOF 15,000,000 | 35% |
The minimum tax levied is XOF 3,000.
The rate of Value Added Tax in Togo is 18%.
Offboarding & Termination
A fixed-term contract can be terminated by either of the parties due to expiration, cancellation, misconduct, judicial resolution or acts of God. If the contract is terminated due to mutual agreement, the termination must be documented in writing.
Contracts with indefinite length can be terminated by either of the parties, provided that the one taking initiative submits the notice. The employer must confirm the dismissal in writing within 9 days of termination and send a copy of the document to the Labour Inspectorate and the social and employment service.
The employer must clear all outstanding dues with the employee before terminating the contract. Not doing so is clear defiance of the Labour Code and the employer will be liable for hefty fines and punishment.
The notice period in Togo is given as per the job role of the employee, as given below:
| Job role | Notice period |
| 1 month | General employees |
| 3 months | Supervisors, managers |
| 5 days | Hourly employees |
Employees who have worked with an organisation for at least 12 months qualify for severance pay upon termination. The severance pay varies with the length of service, as mentioned in the table below:
| Length of service | Severance pay |
| Up to 5 years | 35% of the monthly salary per year |
| 6 – 10 years | 40% of the monthly salary per year |
| More than 10 years | 45% of the monthly salary per year |
Severance pay is not given if the employee is terminated due to gross negligence or misconduct.
Visa and Immigration
Professionals looking to migrate to Togo for work purposes must get a work visa and a permit before their first day of employment. They also have to get a new work permit every time they change their jobs.
A business visa is offered on a temporary basis (90 days) for business-related visits to Togo. However, non-residents must get the relevant visa and permits for long-term commitments.
Minimum Wage: The minimum wage in Togo is given according to the table below:
| Job role/position | Minimum wage per month (in XOF) |
| Manual worker – E1 | XOF 35,000 |
| Manual worker – E2 | XOF 40,000 – XOF 45,000 |
| Manual worker – E3 | XOF 47,000 – XOF 53,000 |
| Manual worker – E4 | XOF 54,000 – XOF 62,000 |
| Manual worker – E5 | XOF 63,000 – XOF 71,000 |
| Manual worker – E6 | XOF 72,000 – XOF 80,000 |
| Supervisor – M1 | XOF 86,000 – XOF 96,000 |
| Supervisor – M2 | XOF 97,500 – XOF 107,500 |
| Supervisor – M3 | XOF 109,000 – XOF 121,000 |
| Supervisor – M4 | XOF 122,500 – XOF 134,500 |
| Manager, Executive and Similar – C1 | XOF 144,000 – XOF 158,000 |
| Manager, Executive and Similar – C2 | XOF 164,000 – XOF 178,000 |
| Manager, Executive and Similar – C3 | XOF 185,000 – XOF 199,000 |
| Manager, Executive and Similar – C4 | XOF 209,000 – XOF 229,000 |
The standard working hours in Togo are 40 hours per week. Employees who dedicate their time beyond these hours qualify for overtime payment. The overtime pay is given at the following rate:
| Time of the work | Overtime rate | Duration of overtime |
| Day | 120% of the hourly wage | First 8 hours of the week |
| 140% of the hourly wage | More than 48 hours of the week | |
| 165% of normal wage | Sundays and holidays | |
| Night | 165% of the hourly wage | Any time on weekdays |
| 200% of normal wage | Sundays and holidays |
