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History of Togo
From antiquity to the modern era — the historical eras, key events, and narrative that shaped Togo.
Overview
The Ewes moved into the area which is now Togo from the Niger River valley between the 12th and 14th centuries. During the 15th and 16th centuries, Portuguese explorers and traders visited the coast. For the next 200 years, the coastal region was a major raiding center for Europeans in search of slaves, earning Togo and the surrounding region the name "The Slave Coast.
Historical Eras
The major periods of {country}’s history at a glance.
Pre-Colonial Era
1200 – 1884
Ewe-speaking peoples migrated into the region from the Niger River valley between the 12th and 14th centuries, establishing the cultural foundation of modern Togo. Portuguese traders arrived along the coast in the 15th and 16th centuries, and for two centuries afterward the region became a major hub of the Atlantic slave trade, earning the grim designation 'The Slave Coast.' Danish and other European traders maintained coastal footholds, reshaping local societies and economies through commerce and conflict.
German Togoland
1884 – 1914
In 1884, Germany declared a protectorate over coastal territory following the Treaty of Togoville, then steadily extended control inland. Togoland became Germany's only self-financing colonial possession, celebrated as a model colony for its administrative efficiency and export agriculture of cocoa, cotton, and palm oil. Infrastructure including roads and railways was developed, though at the cost of forced labor and subjugation of local populations.
Franco-British Mandate
1914 – 1960
French and British forces invaded and seized Togoland in August 1914 with minimal resistance, and after World War I the territory was divided as a League of Nations mandate between the two powers. Following World War II it became a UN trust territory; in 1957 British Togoland voted to join Ghana, while French Togo gained increasing autonomy, adopting a constitution in 1956 and electing Sylvanus Olympio as prime minister in 1958.
Independence & First Republic
1960 – 1967
Togo became fully independent on April 27, 1960, with Sylvanus Olympio as its first president under a constitution granting strong executive authority. Olympio dissolved opposition parties in 1962, provoking deep political tensions that culminated in his assassination on January 13, 1963 — Africa's first post-independence coup. Nicolas Grunitzky assumed the presidency under a new multi-party constitution, but his government remained unstable and was ultimately overthrown by the military in January 1967.
Eyadéma One-Party State
1967 – 1991
General Gnassingbé Eyadéma seized power on January 13, 1967, and abolished political parties, ruling through the Rally of the Togolese People (RPT) as the sole legal party from 1969 onward. His government pursued a policy of 'authenticity,' nationalizing the phosphate industry and consolidating an authoritarian personality cult. International human rights organizations repeatedly criticized the regime for abuses, while economic performance deteriorated through the 1980s.
Contested Pluralism
1991 – present
A National Conference in 1991 briefly transferred power to a transitional government, and a new constitution approved in 1992 nominally established multiparty democracy. Eyadéma and the RPT nonetheless retained effective control through manipulated elections, military intimidation, and political violence, drawing sustained criticism from international bodies and the suspension of most bilateral and multilateral aid. Following Eyadéma's death in 2005, his son Faure Gnassingbé assumed the presidency, perpetuating the family's political dominance into the 21st century.
Timeline Preview
The first 6 key events. View the full chronology on the timeline page.
1700
Coastal area occupied by Danes.
Coastal area occupied by Danes.
1914
British, French forces seize Togoland.
British, French forces seize Togoland.
1960
Gained independence.
Gained independence.
1992
New constitution approved.
New constitution approved.
2003
Togo sends 150 soldiers to Liberia to bolster a West African peacekeeping force.
Togo sends 150 soldiers to Liberia to bolster a West African peacekeeping force.
2004
European Union restores partial diplomatic relations.
European Union restores partial diplomatic relations. Ties were broken in 1993 over violence and democratic shortcomings.