Togo is a slim country squeezed between Ghana and Benin, reaching inland from a short Atlantic shoreline towards Burkina Faso. Visitors mostly stay in the south: Lomé, the seaside capital pressed against the Ghanaian border, the lagoon of Lake Togo to the east, and Kpalimé, in the hills of the Plateaux region near Ghana. Togo is not covered by Roam Like at Home, so a European SIM pays its own operator's roaming rates from the moment it latches on to a Togolese network.
Key facts for Togo
- EU roaming: not covered by Roam Like at Home
- Local networks: varies by plan
- Emergency numbers: police 117 or 177; fire 118; ambulance 8200
- Embassies: the US, France and Germany have embassies in Lomé; the UK helps British nationals from its embassy in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
Paperwork before the flight
Togo has suspended visas on arrival, so the e-visa must be sorted before you board. Apply on the government's travel portal at least 6 days before you land; a single-entry tourist visa is valid for 15 days, and anyone simply changing planes in Lomé should ask the airline whether a transit visa is needed. On top of the visa comes an online registration form, filled in before arriving and again before leaving, and airlines ask for it when you board. Your passport needs at least 3 months of validity beyond the day you leave, and you cannot enter without a yellow fever vaccination certificate.
The north and the Burkina Faso border
The UK Foreign Office (FCDO) advises against all travel to within 30 km of the border with Burkina Faso, except for the city of Dapaong and the N1 highway that leads up to it from the south, and against all but essential travel to the rest of the Savanes region. JNIM and other groups linked to al-Qaeda operate mainly near that frontier, but the FCDO considers attacks in Togo very likely and warns they could be indiscriminate, including at beach resorts, hotels, cafés, restaurants or government buildings. Kidnapping is infrequent but can happen. Protests can flare without warning, and Sokodé, Bafilo and Mango have a history of violent ones in which people were killed, so leave at once if a demonstration starts nearby. Land borders may also close at short notice.
Lomé, its markets and the surf
Violent crime, theft and pickpocketing are common, above all on Lomé's beaches and in its markets, by day as well as after dark. Go out in company, particularly at night, keep bags zipped and hard to snatch, and leave valuables and spare cash at your lodging. Carjackings have been reported, sometimes set up by armed criminals who stage a road accident to make drivers pull over. The Atlantic is the other hazard: powerful currents run along the shore, there are drownings every year, and dangerous stretches seldom carry warning signs, so take local advice before going in.
Roads, rain and the hills
Beyond the towns, roads are poorly lit, driving standards are low, and public transport is often badly maintained and driven too fast. Avoid travelling alone, especially at night, and remember that in the rainy season minor unpaved roads may be blocked. There is no set blood alcohol limit, but a driver suspected of drinking can be sent for a medical examination, and the punishment can be a fine and 1 to 3 years in prison. A UK photocard licence is accepted for up to 6 months.
Health, cash and local laws
TravelHealthPro, the UK's official travel health website, rates the malaria risk in Togo as high and recommends antimalarial tablets alongside bite avoidance; dengue and Zika are further risks. Medical facilities are poor and emergency care is extremely limited, so serious cases may need evacuation, which your insurance should cover. Pharmacies, marked by a green cross, are easy to find and usually accept UK prescriptions.
Togo runs on cash. The currency is the CFA franc, cards are taken only by some hotels and restaurants, card machines are unreliable, and only some cash machines in Lomé take international cards. Always carry a copy of your passport photo page and keep the original within reach. Photographing military sites, government buildings or airport buildings is illegal, drug offences lead to fines and prison, and same-sex relationships are illegal, punishable by a fine or jail. Romance and business scams are widespread, so tell relatives to check with you before sending money to Togo.
Getting connected
A travel eSIM added to your phone at home connects as soon as you land in Lomé. Togo has no country plan of its own: it is covered through the regional plans, either an Africa plan, which also works in Ghana and Benin and suits a trip along the coast, or a World plan if your route continues beyond the continent. Keep your home SIM in the phone for one-time bank codes, with its data roaming off.
Consular protection: who to call in Togo
- Police: 117 or 177. Fire brigade: 118. Ambulance: 8200; emergency facilities are extremely limited, so call your insurer as early as you can.
- There is no British embassy in Togo; the British Embassy in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, provides emergency consular help to British nationals in Togo. The US has an embassy in Lomé.
- Before setting off, look up in the Telcomia app the embassy or consulate that covers Togo for your nationality and note its address and phone number.
- EU citizens whose country has no embassy or consulate in Togo can approach France or Germany, both present in Lomé, or any other EU embassy there, which must help them exactly as it helps its own citizens (Article 23 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU).
- French is the official language, and the Telcomia app carries emergency phrases in French that you can read out or hold up to someone.
Questions travellers ask about Togo
Will my EU SIM work in Togo?
Yes, but only as roaming billed at your operator's own rates, since Togo is outside Roam Like at Home.
Can I get a visa when I land in Lomé?
No. Visas on arrival are not available, so apply for your visa online at least 6 days before you arrive.
Which network does a Telcomia eSIM use in Togo?
It depends on the plan: Togo is covered through the Africa and World plans, and the network varies with the plan you choose.
Can I travel to the far north?
The FCDO advises against all travel near the Burkina Faso border, apart from Dapaong and the N1 leading to it, and against all but essential travel to the rest of the Savanes region, where the terrorist threat is concentrated.
The short version
Get the e-visa and the online registration done at least 6 days before flying, pack your yellow fever certificate, set up the eSIM at home, stay out of the Savanes region and the Burkina Faso border zone, carry cash and a passport copy, skip night drives outside Lomé, swim only on local advice, and save 117 and 8200.
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