Togo faces electricity crisis amid CEET debt and corruption allegations

Togo is experiencing widespread electricity outages that have disrupted residential areas and small businesses. While the Compagnie Énergie Électrique du Togo (CEET) has attributed these blackouts to technical maintenance, gas pipeline pressure drops, and regional constraints, critics argue the crisis is driven by systemic financial mismanagement and corruption.

Reports indicate a significant budgetary deficit of over 330 billion FCFA, amounting to approximately $550 million in debt, as noted by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The situation is linked to years of alleged mismanagement, including opaque direct-award contracts with independent producers and historical instances of embezzlement within the utility company.