The Togo AI Lab (TAI Lab), previously known as the Togo Data Lab (TDL), is a partnership with the Government of Togo’s Ministry of Public Service Efficiency and Digital Transformation (MESPTN) to accelerate the country’s transformation into a leader of publicly-led data science innovation. The initiative is part of CEGA’s AI and Data Science portfolio, which focuses on advancing the use of data science and artificial intelligence in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) to drive sustainable development.

By demonstrating the value of integrating data science tools into government decision-making in one ministry, the Lab aims to scale its efforts to other critical sectors like health, education, and environmental management. TAI Lab also supports the growth of a peer-learning network in West Africa that advances data science for development and strengthens regional resilience to global challenges like climate change and poverty. The Lab is also expanding its footprint within Togo, notably by establishing a center in Kara, which will provide local talent and communities with critical access to computing resources and mentorship, thereby decentralizing expertise and addressing regional challenges.

Objective

The Togo AI Lab aims to establish a sustainable data science function within the Togolese government, empowering MESPTN to integrate data-driven insights into policy-making and service delivery. The lab will harness novel, unstructured data sources like satellite imagery, text, and mobile metadata to address key policy challenges and accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Key Areas of Focus

• Building Local Capacity: The Togo AI Lab trains local data scientists in the latest tools and technologies. These experts will be embedded within the national government, seeding a long-term, self-sustaining data science capability.
• Data Science for Policy: In its first year, the Lab worked with the Ministry of Agriculture to integrate MOSAIKS—a CEGA-developed, low-cost satellite imagery tool—into decision-making processes. The goal is to enhance agricultural productivity and policy in rural areas by predicting crop yields and other critical outcomes. The Lab has now expanded its collaborations to more than ten government agencies, contributing to 70+ projects.
• Cross-Sector Collaboration: The Lab provides technical expertise and insights across multiple ministries in Togo, supporting efforts in agriculture, health, and digital public services. To support Togo’s digital transformation, the Lab assists the Togo Digital Agency in its mission to fast-track the digitization of public administration. To date, three ministries (Mines, Tourism, and Foreign Affairs) have undergone Lab-led digitization sprints, including building data mesh architecture to enhance data governance and accessibility, alongside developing several internal dashboards.

Collaborators

The Togo AI Lab is led by Togo’s Minister of Public Service Efficiency and Digital Transformation, Cina Lawson, and supported by CEGA-affiliated faculty and data scientists. It benefits from the technical leadership of our Scientific Director Tamma Carleton. The initiative is supported by Google.org, the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, the Fund for Innovations in Development, and the German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ).

Project publications: Coastal Erosion Dynamics in Togo from 1984 to 2025 | Monitoring Maize Yield Variability over Space and Time with Unsupervised Satellite Imagery Features | Mapping on a Budget: Optimizing Spatial Data Collection for ML