Religion in Togo presents a diverse tapestry of beliefs, with Christianity being the most widely professed faith. This West African nation, officially the Togolese Republic, has a population estimated at 8.7 million as of mid-2023.
The constitution specifies the state is secular and protects the rights of all citizens to exercise their religious beliefs, consistent with the nation’s laws. The constitution states the country is a secular state, provides for equality before the law for all citizens regardless of religion, protects all religious beliefs, and prohibits religious discrimination.
Map of Togo's Regions
Demographics of Religious Affiliation
According to the government, the population identifies as follows:
- 42.3 percent Christian
- 36.9 percent traditional animist
- 14 percent Muslim
- Less than 1 percent followers of other religions
It's worth noting that persons living in the south often practice a mixture of different religions. According to the media outlet Savoir News, 52 percent of the population, including Christians, also practice Vodou.
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The constitution prohibits the establishment of political parties based on religion.
#Interreligious Dialogue: From the University to the Field
Christianity in Togo
Christianity has grown significantly since the 1990’s, and Christ is now claimed by 30% of the population.
Roman Catholics constitute the largest Christian group, approximately 25 percent of the population, according to the Togolese Conference of Bishops. Protestants include Lutherans, Methodists, Baptists, Assemblies of God, and neo-charismatic movements. Other Christian groups include Seventh-day Adventists, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and Jehovah’s Witnesses. Syncretic Christians include Celestian Church of Christ, Deeper Christian Life Ministry, Apostles Revelation Society, and Church of the Lord (Aladura).
The Togolese branch of the Orange Order, governed by the Grand Lodge of Togo, serves as a local chapter of the international Protestant fraternal organization. Its origins trace back to September 1915 with the establishment of its first lodge, LOL 867, "Defenders of Lome," by John Amate Atayi.
Cathédrale de Lomé
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Islam in Togo
Islam was introduced to Togo by Berber groups who built mosques and converted populations, so that by 1900, 4% of the population was Muslim. In the 17th century, the Tchokossi, a Muslim people, settled in the Mango region and gradually spread northward. German, and later French, rule was considered very favorable to the development of Islam in the country.
Some Christian and Islamic holidays are observed as national holidays.
Traditional Beliefs
In 2021, approximately one-third of the population practiced an animist religion. Among Christians and Muslims, some practice a form of worship that combines traditional rites and Voodoo beliefs.
Nearly all ethnic groups in Togo believe in a superior being and lesser divinities who serve as intermediaries. Some of these divinities have large followings and require sacrifices and homage in exchange for protection and good fortune.
Other Religious Groups
Nichiren Buddhists, followers of the International Society of Krishna Consciousness, Baha’is, and Hindus are among other religious groups in the country. Hinduism is a recent phenomenon in Togo. This religion was exported to Togo through the Hindu Monastery of Africa based in Accra, Ghana.
Read also: Origins and practices: West African religions
Legal and Governmental Framework
The law requires all religious groups, including Indigenous groups, to register as religious associations. Official recognition as a religious association provides other groups the same rights as those afforded to Catholics, Protestants, and Muslims, including import duty exemptions for humanitarian and development projects. Registration entitles religious groups to receive government benefits such as government-provided teachers for faith-based schools and special assistance in case of natural disasters.
Organizations apply for registration with the DRA. A religious group must submit its statutes, statement of doctrine, bylaws, names, and addresses of executive board members, leaders’ religious credentials, a site-use agreement, map for religious facilities, and description of its finances. It must also pay a registration fee of 150,000 CFA francs ($244). Criteria for recognition include authenticity of the religious leader’s diploma and the government’s assessment of the ethical behavior of the group, which must not cause a breach of public order. The DRA issues a receipt that serves as temporary recognition for religious groups applying for registration.
The public school curriculum does not include religion classes. The government assigns its own paid employees as additional teachers and staff to many Catholic, Protestant, and Islamic schools; UNESCO estimates 13 percent of religiously affiliated schools receive such assistance.
In September, the director of the DRA informed religious groups that unregistered denominations are prohibited from opening new worship places and specified separate days of worship for each religion: Sunday for Christians, Friday for Muslims and Saturday for Seventh-day Adventists.
Only the MTA can issue authorizations to open new places of worship, and it issues the authorizations only to registered denominations.
Government Actions and Regulations
In June, the MTA requested prefects and mayors to no longer authorize new places of worship. The central government transmitted this request to mayors and prefects via a ministerial stop-order and the media.
The DRA released a statement in July regarding several thousand complaints concerning the high level of volume of worship services and religious observances and announced that sanctions would follow efforts to warn religious leaders about the noise. Although there was no law or regulation prescribing a permissible volume, the MTA and mayors recommended acceptable decibel levels through their notes to religious leaders.
Similar to previous years, the government did not act on pending registration applications from religious groups and has not accepted new applications since 2013. Most pending registration applications came from Christian evangelical religious movements. The government did not provide a clear explanation for the delay. According to Christian religious organizations, the government returned the application files of some Christian groups without acting on them. They also stated that the government applied the ministerial stop order only to Christians.
In June and August after recurring complaints concerning noise levels, the government announced it had closed nine neo-charismatic churches: the Church of God in Christ, the Christian Church of the Redeemed of God, the Chapel Church of the Conquerors, the International Church of Mount Armenia, the Church of Power of Redemption, Missionary Church of Christ’s Abundant Grace, Church of Christ’s Awakening, Church of Christ’s International Zoe Life Ministry, and the Almighty Mission Evangelical Ministry.
The closed churches and the religious associations to which they belonged asked the government for clemency to resume religious services. The Christian community called for dialogue to solve problems of noise nuisance instead of punishment, arguing that muezzins calling Muslims to prayer and bars make noise freely at similar or greater decibel levels in the hours of sleep and that the government should not uphold a double standard.
By law, religious groups must request permission to conduct large nighttime celebrations, particularly those likely to block city streets or involve loud ceremonies in residential areas.
Interreligious Relations
Members of Catholic, Protestant, and Muslim religious groups continued to invite one another to their respective ceremonies. On April 7, Good Friday, the Archbishop of Lome, Nicodeme Barrigah, visited the Muslim Union of Togo (MUT) at the Hadj mosque to share the breaking of the Ramadan fast with Muslims. On June 27, the MUT offered an ox to Barrigah in celebration of Tabaski. Vodou followers continued to practice their religion freely.
On February 28 in the Grand-Lome region, the Ministry of Security and a Fulbe Community-based Organization organized a sensitization workshop on social cohesion for the leaders of the primarily Muslim Fulbe (Fulani) communities, religious leaders, and security and defense forces. The participants discussed transhumance (grazing) conflicts between primarily Muslim herders and primarily Christian farmers, religious and ethnic tolerance, and peaceful conflict resolution strategies.
On March 28, embassy officials hosted an iftar discussion on social cohesion and inter-religious dialogue with leaders of Muslim, Catholic and Protestant groups. During the event, religious leaders reaffirmed the necessity to promote continuous interreligious dialogue, tolerance, and peace education in places of worship nationwide.
U.S. Embassy Engagement
Embassy officials discussed religious tolerance and pending legislation affecting religious groups with government officials. Officials also met with religious leaders throughout the year to support their efforts to reduce tensions in communities and support peace and social cohesion, specifically regarding countering violent extremism related to religion.
Grande Mosquée de Lomé
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