Women entrepreneurs are playing an increasingly important role in advancing green and sustainable businesses across Togo. Yet, for many women-led businesses, limited visibility, business management capacity and access to markets remain significant barriers to growth.
To address these challenges, the National Award for the Promotion of Women in Green Entrepreneurship (TROFEDEV) was launched to identify, celebrate and support women entrepreneurs developing innovative businesses in the green sector, while raising awareness of the opportunities offered by green entrepreneurship.
Held between June and November 2025, TROFEDEV reached women entrepreneurs across Togo’s six regions, highlighting the importance of integrating environmental protection and sustainability into business models. Around 100 women entrepreneurs benefited from awareness-raising activities and training in project pitching techniques.
The initiative also recognised outstanding entrepreneurs, with 16 regional winners, including four national winners, receiving awards in recognition of their achievements and contributions to green entrepreneurship.
From Recognition to Business Growth
The support did not end with the competition. The winning businesses are now participating in an incubation programme designed to strengthen their business capabilities and support sustainable growth.
The entrepreneurs are also receiving targeted communications and visibility support, including logo redesigns, communications training, tailored social media strategies and promotional videos. These activities are helping them strengthen their brands, communicate their value propositions more effectively and reach new audiences.
Connecting Women Entrepreneurs to New Markets
Visibility alone is not enough to drive business growth. Access to customers and new markets is equally important. To help bridge this gap, the supported entrepreneurs participated in the Made in Togo trade fair, held from 3 to 12 July 2026 at the Togolese Centre for Exhibitions and Fairs (CETEF).
The trade fair provided an opportunity for the entrepreneurs to showcase their products, engage directly with potential customers and business partners, and expand their networks.
Following their participation, the entrepreneurs reported new business contacts and increased turnover, while some are now on track to secure new contracts. These results demonstrate the value of combining business development support, visibility and market access opportunities.
Building a Stronger Ecosystem for Women in Green Entrepreneurship
The initiative is led by the Network of Incubators and Support Structures in Togo (RISAT) in partnership with the Agency for the Development of Very Small, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (ADTPME).
It benefits from technical and financial support from the IYBA WE4A partnership, funded by Germany and the European Union and implemented by GIZ, as well as IYBA SEED, funded by Germany, the European Union and Slovakia and implemented by Expertise France in Togo.
By combining recognition, incubation, communications support and access to markets, the initiative is helping women entrepreneurs move beyond visibility towards stronger, more resilient and growth-oriented green businesses.
