Professions in Togo

Togo has no single register covering every profession. INSEED uses the 2003 Classification of Professions, known as PCS 2003, while NTA and NTP classify economic activities; the occupational matrix for RGPH-5 is still being developed. ANPE uses the term métiers porteurs for fields such as agriculture, information technology, mining, construction, transport and logistics, and health. This indicates areas with development or placement interest, but it does not measure how common each profession is. Major occupational groups include agronomy, forestry, livestock and fish farming; tailoring, baking, weaving, mechanics, welding and masonry; tiling, plumbing, painting, carpentry, formwork and heavy-equipment operation; civil engineering and architecture; piloting, cabin services, logistics, vehicle mechanics, refrigeration, air conditioning and quality work; medicine, nursing, midwifery, pharmacy, dentistry, technical health services and administration; software development, systems administration, networks, cybersecurity, telecommunications, graphic design and analysis; and geology, geophysics, geochemistry, surveying, drilling and laboratory work. Teaching, health, forestry, administration and other public services form major public-sector fields. Entry routes differ. Formal routes may use the Certificat d'aptitude professionnelle (CAP), Brevet de technicien (BT), Brevet professionnel (BP), Certificat de qualification professionnelle (CQP), a Centre de formation d'apprentissage (CFA), a technical diploma or a higher-education qualification. Some professions also require an internship, an oath, registration with a professional order or a specific licence. Informal and self-employed work often begins through competence, apprenticeship, experience, family practice, a workshop, a private practice or independent work. There is no single entry rule for all professions, and training duration and income cannot be generalized. ANPE provides career guidance, placement, the SIANPE card, business and skills advice, and support connected with international mobility. The Ministère de l'Éducation nationale is responsible for several vocational certificates and apprenticeship pathways. The Ministère de la Fonction publique, du Travail et du Dialogue social manages competitive recruitment and public-service status, while the Direction générale du travail handles labour-law supervision. UCRM and the Chambres de métiers support crafts. CFE and CCI support business formalization. INSEED provides occupational classifications and statistics. A craft worker can use the CPA procedure to register in the répertoire des entreprises artisanales and obtain an artisan identity card. The application may require legalized diplomas, certificates or an attestation de capacité. The documented fees are 1,500, 12,000 or 17,000 FCFA depending on the case. Registration is valid for three years. The online procedure indicates a 72-hour processing period, followed by a collection step that can take up to 10 working days. Tax and social obligations depend on the person's legal status and activity. Public recruitment uses occupation-specific announcements rather than one general rule. For example, the 2026 CNRFE recruitment announcement listed 3,851 teaching positions and used age and diploma conditions, including an age range of 18 to 40 years. A 2025 health-sector competitive examination listed 2,235 positions: 202 medical, 1,420 paramedical and 613 administrative or support positions. That announcement generally used an 18-to-40 age range, with some cases allowing up to 45 for people already working as volunteers or contract staff. These figures and conditions belong to those announcements and do not define every profession. Regulated work requires additional checks. Health professions are supervised through the Ordre des Médecins, Ordre des Pharmaciens and Ordre des Chirurgiens-Dentistes. Legal professions include avocat, notaire, huissier de justice and commissaire-priseur; they can require qualification, supervised practice, appointment, an oath or registration. Notaires and huissiers de justice are officiers publics et ministériels. Architecture is connected with ONAT, and urban planning has had a statutory framework since 2019. The exact qualification, registration, ethics and authorization requirements must be checked for the chosen profession. Employees in the private sector, trainees and apprentices fall under the Code du travail 2021 and its 2022 amendment, subject to the rules applying to their status. The framework includes non-discrimination, a prohibition of forced labour, occupational health and safety duties, trade-union and representation rights, employment contracts, pay, rest and leave. The general working-time reference is a maximum of 40 hours per week and 10 hours per day. Agriculture has a specific annual reference of 2,400 hours, and minimum leave is 2.5 days per month of service; sector-specific exceptions can apply. Self-employed and informal workers cannot automatically assume that employee protections apply in the same way. The Constitution protects freedom to choose a profession, employment and training institution. A common progression is apprenticeship, certificate or diploma, specialization, technician or engineering work and later supervision or management. Practical experience can lead to independent work and business formalization, while a competitive examination can lead to public service. ANPE may also support skills development, placement and return or international mobility. Validation of prior experience and the national certification framework are still developing, so no blanket recognition of informal experience should be assumed. Some specialized mining training may require study abroad according to ANPE information. Availability differs between Lomé and other regions, and professional relevance can depend on local institutions, infrastructure and sector demand. Agriculture, crafts, construction, transport and logistics have very high practical relevance; health and public service have high relevance; information technology, industry, mining and legal professions offer more specialized or growth-oriented paths. A person comparing professions should check the entry qualification, responsible body, registration or licence, real working conditions, costs, regional availability and the status-specific rights and duties.