Project Case Study
Supporting the creation of the Togo Revenue Authority
Supporting the Government of Togo in the Creation of a Semi-Autonomous Revenue Authority
Since its independence from France in 1960, Togo suffered decades of political turmoil, was internationally condemned over human rights issues and effectively exiled from the international community, with most international aid suspended.
In 2007, the country’s first relatively free and fair elections were held, and the government has sought to implement some democratic reforms.
The country’s economy is predominantly based on agriculture, with approximately 28% of its GDP provided by the agricultural sector, which is fairly volatile and dependent on external factors such as weather. The country desperately needs revenue to develop its income status and help the 32% of people living below the international poverty line.
As such, in 2013, Adam Smith International, funded by the African Development Bank, was contracted by the Government of Togo to undertake an independent review of the progress of the creation of the Togo Revenue Authority (OTR) which aims to generate some of this revenue through collection of taxes.
