# Security in Lome, Togo

Canonical page: https://closeprotectionhire.com/cities/lome/

Security briefing for Lome, Togo. Medium-risk West African capital with port sector activity. FCDO and US State Dept advisories for Togo current as at 2026.


## Threats

- **Political Tension and Protest Risk**: Togo has been governed by the Gnassingbe family since 1967 -- Faure Gnassingbe assumed the presidency after his father's death in 2005 and was re-elected in 2020. Significant protest movements occurred in 2017 and 2018, calling for presidential term limits and constitutional reform. The security forces have used force to disperse demonstrations. Protests can occur at short notice and localised violence has occurred at flashpoints. The FCDO advises exercising a high degree of caution in Togo (FCDO Togo travel advice, 2026).
- **Petty Crime and Opportunistic Theft**: Lome experiences elevated petty crime targeting foreign nationals, including bag-snatching, pickpocketing in crowded markets, and vehicle break-ins. The beach area, Be market, and Grand Marche are commonly cited for opportunistic incidents. Incidents are more frequent after dark and in poorly lit outer districts.
- **Northern Sahel Spillover**: While Lome itself is far from the affected areas, Togo's northern regions -- particularly the Savanes region bordering Burkina Faso -- have experienced spill-over from the Sahel jihadist insurgency. The FCDO advises against all travel to the Savanes region. The US State Department lists the northern border region near Burkina Faso, and areas north of Kande, as Do Not Travel (Level 4, 2026) because of terrorism and kidnapping risk. The Savanes region is under a state of emergency, and foreigners need special authorisation from the Government of Togo to travel there. This does not directly affect Lome but represents the broader national risk trajectory.
- **Road Safety and Traffic**: Road traffic accidents are among the leading causes of injury to foreign nationals in Lome. Motorcycles (zemidjans) are a principal mode of transport and contribute to road incident rates. Inter-city road travel, particularly at night, carries elevated risk. US State Dept Level 2 advisory for Togo (2026) notes road safety as a concern.

## Regulations

- **Licensing**: The Association Professionnelle des Entreprises de Securite Privee du Togo (APESPOT) is, as its name says, a professional association of private security companies rather than a licensing body. The law and the authority that license private security in Togo could not be confirmed against a primary source on 14 October 2026. Ask any provider for its licence and the issuing authority, and take local legal advice before engagement.
- **Firearms**: Whether private security staff in Togo may carry firearms, and under which authorisation, could not be confirmed against a primary source on 14 October 2026. Most commercial deployments in Lome use unarmed guards. Any armed element, and the permit behind each weapon, must be confirmed in writing before an assignment starts.
- **Foreign operators**: The rules for foreign security companies and foreign protection officers in Togo could not be confirmed against a primary source on 14 October 2026. Work through a licensed Togolese company and take local legal advice before a foreign team carries out protective duties.

## Zones

Lower-risk areas:

- Hotel Ibis Lome, 2 Fevrier district, and the Boulevard du 13 Janvier corridor are relatively well-policed during daylight hours.
- The beach areas adjacent to major hotels have reasonable security during daytime hotel operations.

Elevated-risk areas:

- Grand Marche and Be market: petty crime risk, crowded environment requiring heightened personal security awareness.
- Outer residential districts after dark: reduced police presence.
- Northern Togo (Savanes region): FCDO against all travel due to Sahel jihadist spillover.

## Emergency contacts

- Police: 117
- Fire service: 118
- Medical emergency: 112
- CHU Sylvanus Olympio: +228 22 21 25 01
- CHU Sylvanus Olympio, Tokoin (second listed line): +228 22 21 08 48 (source: US Embassy Lome list of doctors and medical specialists, November 2022, linked from tg.usembassy.gov/medical-assistance/, verified 2026-08-31. The same source confirms +228 22 21 25 01, already recorded above, and describes the hospital as the last-resort emergency medicine facility.)
- Clinique Biasa, Nyekonakpoe (private: intensive care, surgery, traumatology, imaging): +228 22 53 37 37 (source: US Embassy Lome list of doctors and medical specialists, November 2022, linked from tg.usembassy.gov/medical-assistance/, verified 2026-08-31)
- Polyclinic St Joseph, Tokoin Hedzranawoe (general surgery and traumatology): +228 22 26 94 42 (source: US Embassy Lome list of doctors and medical specialists, November 2022, linked from tg.usembassy.gov/medical-assistance/, verified 2026-08-31)
- Ambulance (national medical emergency number): 8200 (source: gov.uk FCDO Togo travel advice, health section (gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/togo/health), verified 2026-08-31: call 8200 and ask for an ambulance)

## Warnings

- The FCDO advises exercising a high degree of caution in Togo and against all travel to the Savanes region in the north. Source: FCDO Togo travel advice (2026).
- The US State Department advises Exercise Increased Caution in Togo (Level 2), and lists the northern border region near Burkina Faso and areas north of Kande as Do Not Travel (Level 4) (2026).
- Demonstrations and political protests can occur at short notice in Lome. Avoid large gatherings and monitor local news sources for developing situations.
- Medical facilities in Lome are below Western standards. CHU Sylvanus Olympio is the principal public hospital. Medical evacuation to Accra, Ghana, or Abidjan, Ivory Coast, is standard for serious cases.
- Lome Tokoin International Airport (LFW) provides connections to regional hubs. Pre-arrange vetted transport for airport arrivals and departures.

Lome is the capital and largest city of Togo, a narrow West African coastal state that serves as a significant regional port hub. The Port of Lome is one of West Africa's largest deepwater container ports and handles transit goods for several landlocked neighbours including Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. The city's security environment reflects the political durability of Faure Gnassingbe's government -- in power since 2005, following his father Gnassingbe Eyadema who ruled from 1967 -- and the broader West African security trajectory that includes Sahel jihadist spillover affecting Togo's north.

For corporate visitors to Lome, the primary security considerations are petty crime prevention, protest-avoidance awareness, vetted transport, and appropriate residential security for longer stays. The FCDO advises exercising a high degree of caution in Togo (FCDO Togo travel advice, 2026). The US State Department advises Exercise Increased Caution (Level 2, 2026), and lists the northern border region near Burkina Faso and areas north of Kande as Do Not Travel (Level 4).

Executive protection and security driver services for Lome are available through operators working with licensed Togolese security companies. For regional security context, see our [security services in Accra](/bodyguard-hire/accra/) and our [Cotonou security briefing](/cities/cotonou/).

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the current security situation in Lome?

Lome carries a medium risk rating. The city is relatively stable compared to higher-risk West African capitals, but political tension linked to the Gnassingbe government's longevity, elevated petty crime targeting foreign nationals, and the wider Sahel security deterioration affecting Togo's north mean that security planning remains necessary for corporate and executive visitors. The FCDO advises a high degree of caution (FCDO Togo, 2026).

### Is close protection available in Lome?

Executive protection and security driver services are available in Lome through operators with established partnerships with Togolese licensed security companies. Mobile close protection, vetted transport, and residential security are the services most commonly deployed for corporate and high-net-worth clients visiting the city.

### What are the risks of the Sahel insurgency for Lome?

The jihadist insurgency affecting Burkina Faso and parts of Mali has spilled into northern Togo, particularly the Savanes region. The FCDO advises against all travel to the Savanes region. Lome, in the south of the country, is not directly affected by Sahel insurgent activity, but the national security trajectory requires monitoring for corporate clients with broader Togo interests.

### What medical options are available in Lome?

CHU Sylvanus Olympio is the principal public hospital in Lome. Private clinics including Clinique de l'Union and Polyclinique Bel Air provide a higher standard of care for routine cases. Medical evacuation to Accra (approximately 150 km west) or Abidjan is standard contingency for serious cases. Arrange medevac cover before any Lome deployment.