A series in which we focus on the multi-layered meaning of African borders and how Africans have transcended them.
Africa is re-imagining its borders. In 2021, Africa’s free trade zone came into effect, allowing for the free movement of people and goods.
Yet, this is an age-old story. Africans have long worked the fluid nature of borders to their economic advantage. Borders are rigid and fixed, yet at the same time, porous and permeable.
Just as Africans are not limited by borders we believe that their money should not be either.
For our first installment, we take a look at Togo, West Africa’s leading trade hub. One of the region’s smallest countries, Togo was not boxed in by the borders that defined it. It turned a weakness — its small size — into a strength.
Join us as we tell the stories of Togo and its people, places, and borders.
Go back in time and discover how Togo, one of West Africa’s tiniest countries, transformed into the region’s top trade entrepôt. Learn about Germany’s most prized African colony, Togoland, and the formation of its early geopolitical borders. Meet Togo’s first president who had a bold vision for the country and planted the seeds for West Africa’s integration.
READ STORYNeighbors Togo and Ghana are extremely close. They were once even the same colony. Yet despite their proximity, they often feel far apart. Learn about how borders shaped the special relationship between Togo and Ghana. Meet the Ghanaians whose lives straddle both countries.
READ STORYFrom all over West Africa, people come to Asigamé, Lomé’s largest market, in search of opportunity and a better life. Trade can be a ladder for social mobility, but it is often fragile. Asigamé has seen its ups and downs over several decades of changing global and regional economies. Meet the resilient and resourceful people who bring this pulsating market to life.
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