A quiet but intense strategic rivalry is unfolding in northern Togo. In security circles, it is understood that over 300 operatives from the Russian Africa Corps the structure established by Moscow to succeed the Wagner Group are currently active within the country. At the same time, Turkey is expanding its own security footprint, notably through operatives linked to the private military firm SADAT.
This dual presence marks a profound shift in Togolese defense policy. The state is transforming from one that seeks targeted military assistance into a theater of competition for rival foreign powers. While Moscow and Ankara frame their involvement as counter-terrorism support, the underlying objective is influence. Both seek access to decision-makers, lucrative contracts, intelligence networks, and long-term military footholds in a highly strategic region.
The national army relegated to a supporting role
This influx of foreign security actors raises critical questions about the future of the Forces armées togolaises. Togo possesses a well-structured national military with highly trained officers who have graduated from prestigious academies worldwide. Therefore, outsourcing security cannot be explained by a lack of national capability. Instead, it points to a deliberate political choice.
By relying heavily on external partners, the state risks creating a dangerous dependency. Those who supply weapons, provide intelligence, and train elite units inevitably gain unchecked leverage over national decision-making, ultimately threatening Togo’s sovereign control over its own defense policies.
A lack of transparency in defense agreements
True sovereignty relies on democratic accountability and balance. However, the details of Togo’s agreements with Russia, Turkey, and other partners remain shrouded in secrecy. The public remains in the dark regarding the financial costs, the operational authority granted to foreign personnel, and the legal jurisdictions governing potential misconduct in civilian areas. This lack of transparency is particularly concerning as external forces operate directly in regions where local populations are highly vulnerable.
The trap of outsourced security
Relying on foreign forces can create a self-reinforcing cycle of dependency. While external entities can deploy rapid reinforcements, they cannot substitute for a coherent domestic defense framework. Without sustained investments in local intelligence, border security, and troop training, Togo risks becoming permanently dependent on foreign intervention. This undermines the very sovereignty the government claims to protect.
Using the regional extremist threat as a blanket justification
The threat posed by armed groups like the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) in the north is transitionally real, but it should not serve as an unquestioned justification for opaque military strategies. While cross-border militancy requires a robust response, a permanent foreign military presence is not the sole solution.
A comprehensive security strategy must address the root causes of instability, combining border control and regional intelligence with economic development in marginalized borderlands where poverty and unemployment leave young people vulnerable to recruitment.
The massive financial cost of military partnerships
These foreign security arrangements carry immense financial burdens. Salaries, logistical support, and maintenance contracts consume substantial public funds, yet these expenditures are hidden behind the veil of national security. Togolese citizens have a right to know how their taxes are spent and whether these costly investments are actually making them safer, especially when basic public services remain severely underfunded.
Socioeconomic neglect amid geopolitical posturing
While the administration in Lomé focuses on balancing relationships with rival global powers, the everyday struggles of ordinary Togolese continue to grow. Citizens face soaring living costs, unemployment, and inadequate access to healthcare, clean water, and quality education. Neglecting these social realities in the name of security is a dangerous miscalculation. True stability cannot be achieved through weapons alone; it requires investing in the economic well-being of the population.
Securitization stifling democratic spaces
This military buildup coincides with a worrying constriction of Togo’s political landscape. For years, civic freedoms have been restricted and institutional reforms have consolidated executive power. Under the current security-first logic, there is a rising danger that political dissent will be treated as a threat to state stability. The primary role of a national army must remain the defense of the republic, not the preservation of a political regime.
A strategic hub at a crossroads
Togo’s strategic position on the Gulf of Guinea makes it an attractive partner for global powers. However, Lomé must navigate these relations without sacrificing its autonomy. The country must avoid becoming a playground for external rivalries, ensuring that foreign partnerships serve the national interest rather than regime survival. Ultimately, a nation’s strength is measured not by the foreign armies on its soil, but by its capacity to serve and protect its own citizens.
