Togo

Is Togo safe to visit?

The south, mostly yes; the far north, no. Lomé, the coast and the forested hills around Kpalimé see few problems beyond street crime, bad roads and malaria. The Savanes region, which borders Burkina Faso, has had jihadist attacks since 2021 and has been under a state of emergency since June 2022. We score Togo 48, just below its neighbour Benin (49) and below Ghana (57).

The data are weak. Togo has never published a homicide rateHomicide rateThe number of people killed on purpose each year for every 100,000 residents. It is the most comparable crime figure between countries.More in the glossary to UNODC, so only a WHO model exists, and casualty figures from the north are rarely released. Our confidence is low.

The north: what has happened since 2021

The violence spilled over from Burkina Faso, where Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) and Islamic State fighters are at war with the government. According to Afrique XXI's account of the conflict:

• Night of 9 to 10 November 2021: gunmen attacked an army outpost at Sanloaga in Kpendjal prefecture; nobody was hurt.
• Night of 10 to 11 May 2022: an attack on the army post at Kpinkankandi, also in Kpendjal, killed eight soldiers and wounded 13.
• 13 June 2022: the government put the Savanes region under a state of security emergency.
• Night of 15 to 16 July 2022: coordinated attacks hit several villages in Kpendjal.
• First half of 2023: ACLED counted 14 attacks and 66 deaths, as reported by Le Monde.
• 8 June 2025: the army said it had killed several dozen fighters at Kpinkankandi.

By late 2023 the government counted 21 attacks and 31 deaths since the crisis began, a figure well below ACLED's count. A Konrad Adenauer Foundation report in March 2025 found that attacks had moved deeper south, into Oti prefecture. On 27 February 2026 the National Assembly extended the state of emergency in Savanes for another 12 months (ACLED).

There is some good news. The 2026 Global Peace IndexGlobal Peace IndexAn annual ranking of 163 countries by how peaceful they are, based on conflict, crime, militarisation and political instability.More in the glossary ranks Togo 119th of 163, better than a year earlier, and names it among the three countries with the biggest improvement in deaths from internal conflict.

Where not to go

The US says do not travel north of Kandé, which covers all of Savanes and the north of Kara region, including Kéran National Park. US staff may not stay overnight north of Mango and need special permission to go north of Dapaong. The UK is a little less strict: it advises against all travel within 30 km of the Burkina Faso border, except Dapaong and the N1 highway that leads to it from the south, and against all but essential travel to the rest of Savanes. Kara, Sokodé, Atakpamé and everything south lie outside the no-go zones.

Protests and politics

Political protest is the other risk outside the north. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says Sokodé, Bafilo and Mango have a history of violent demonstrations in which protesters and security forces have been killed. The US says police have used tear gas on protests that block traffic in Lomé and along National Route 1, arrested protesters and shut down the internet and mobile networks. ACLED recorded hundreds demonstrating in Lomé on 9 May 2026 to demand a change of government. Keep away from rallies, and if one starts near you, leave.

Crime in Lomé

The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says violent crime, theft and pickpocketing are common, particularly on Lomé's beaches and in its markets, and attacks happen by day as well as at night. Armed criminals sometimes stage a road accident to make drivers stop. Carry little cash, keep bags closed and do not walk alone after dark. Togo is largely a cash economy and card machines are unreliable, so plan how you will carry money safely. Never walk on the beach at night.

Roads, malaria and the sea

WHO estimatesWHO road-death estimateThe World Health Organization's estimate of road traffic deaths per 100,000 people in a country, adjusted for deaths that police statistics miss.More in the glossary 22.7 road deaths per 100,000 people in 2021, between the rates for Côte d'Ivoire (20.6) and Ghana (25.9). The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary calls driving standards poor and says public transport vehicles are badly maintained and driven too fast. Roads outside towns are unlit, and unofficial roadblocks occur, so travel between cities by day.

Malaria is present all year, with an estimated 249 cases per 1,000 people at risk in 2024. CDC recommends preventive tablets, Togo requires a yellow fever certificate at entry and polio has been detected in the past year. Medical care is poor and emergency care extremely limited, so bring insurance that covers evacuation. The sea is dangerous too: strong currents drown people every year, and the beaches rarely have warning signs.

How we scored it

Health (37) and road safety (39, on WHO's 2021 estimate of 22.7 per 100,000) are the weakest factors. Conflict (47) reflects a northern insurgency and wide no-go advice, balanced by a calm south and fewer conflict deaths in 2025. Violent crime (59) follows WHO's modelled rate of 8.5 per 100,000, because Togo has no recorded homicide statistics; petty crime (45) rests on advisory descriptions.