Togo – Kokou Edem TENGUE Appointed Managing Director of the Port Autonome de Lomé: A Career Built for the Role
A new chapter has opened for the Port Autonome de Lomé (PAL). By decision of the Togolese authorities dated July 2, 2026, Kokou Edem TENGUE has been appointed Managing Director of the Port Autonome de Lomé, succeeding Rear Admiral Fogan Kodjo Adégnon, who had led the institution since September 6, 2005.
This appointment marks the arrival at the helm of the sub-region’s leading deep-water port of a leader widely recognized for his expertise in maritime economics, his in-depth understanding of port and logistics challenges, and his experience acquired both in the private sector and at the highest levels of public administration.
Born on September 24, 1980 in Lomé, Kokou Edem TENGUE is a Togolese economist whose academic background reflects a strong international outlook. A graduate of Sciences Po Paris, the University of Birmingham, Imperial College London, and Harvard Business School, he also completed professional training within the Maersk Group in Copenhagen (Denmark) between 2003 and 2005, where he gained in-depth knowledge of global supply chains and port operations.
Returning to Togo in 2008, he continued his rise within the Maersk Group, eventually being appointed Chief Executive Officer of Maersk Togo, a position he held from 2016 to 2020. During this period, he actively contributed to the development of the country’s logistics and maritime activities, further strengthening Togo’s strategic position in international maritime trade.
Building on this experience, he was appointed to government on October 1, 2020 as Minister of Maritime Economy, Fisheries, and Coastal Protection. In this role, he led major reforms aimed at modernizing maritime governance, promoting the blue economy, strengthening the capacities of sector stakeholders, and enhancing the attractiveness of the Togolese flag.
His career continued at the highest level of the state with his appointment in September 2024 as Minister-Counselor to the President of the Council, before being designated on January 23, 2026 as Deputy Minister to the Minister of Transport, Connectivity and Rural Infrastructure, in charge of Maritime Economy.
The appointment of Kokou Edem TENGUE as head of the Port Autonome de Lomé thus appears as the continuation of a long-standing commitment to the development of Togo’s maritime sector. His combined experience in corporate management, public policy, and international cooperation represents a major asset to support the port’s ambitions in a context of strong competition among Africa’s major port hubs.
Throughout his career, Kokou Edem TENGUE has received several distinctions recognizing his leadership and contribution to economic development. He was notably named Young Leader of the Franco-African Foundation in 2017, awarded the rank of Officer of the Order of Mono in 2018, included in the Choiseul ranking of tomorrow’s economic leaders the same year, and later recognized in 2022 among the 30 most influential young economists in Sub-Saharan Africa by the Institute of Certified Chartered Economists (ICCE). In 2024, he was also featured in the Maritimafrica List of the 50 personalities who most influenced the blue economy in Africa in 2023–2024, a recognition of his key role in transforming the African maritime sector.
Through this appointment, Togo entrusts the management of its main economic lever to a professional whose career is deeply rooted in the maritime world. Port and logistics stakeholders, both nationally and internationally, will closely follow the strategic directions he will set for the Port Autonome de Lomé, an essential platform for regional trade and a key driver of economic integration in West Africa.
His arrival thus opens a new phase for the Port Autonome de Lomé, with the ambition of consolidating its status as a leading logistics hub, accelerating its digital transformation, strengthening its competitiveness, and further developing its contribution to the Togolese economy and regional connectivity.
By Pascaline Odoubourou
