Togo customs rules & duty-free allowances
Togo's biggest customs risk is not the duty-free allowance but the CFA franc zone's currency controls: undeclared foreign cash above the threshold can be seized outright, and the green channel is not a free pass. Health is the second trap — a yellow fever certificate is checked on arrival, and without it you can be vaccinated at the airport for a fee or refused entry. Allowances below apply to non-resident adults arriving from outside the WAEMU/UEMOA zone; goods bought inside the zone travel duty-free.
Duty-free allowances
Prohibited — banned from import
- Narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances (cannabis, cocaine, heroin, amphetamines) — penalties are severe, including long prison terms
- Counterfeit currency, counterfeit goods and pirated media
- Weapons of war, military ammunition and explosives without a defence permit
- Pornographic material and any material deemed offensive to public morals or state security
- Raw meat, poultry and unpasteurised dairy from countries with active animal disease outbreaks
- Live animals and birds without a veterinary import permit and health certificate
Restricted — allowed with a permit or declaration
- Firearms, sporting guns and ammunition — require a permit from the Ministry of Interior issued before arrival
- Prescription and controlled medicines — need a doctor's letter and, for narcotics/psychotropics, a Ministry of Health import authorisation
- Plants, seeds, fresh produce and soil — require a phytosanitary certificate
- Drones and satellite phones — need prior authorisation from the civil aviation authority and telecommunications regulator
- Gold, precious stones and large sums of foreign currency — must be declared and may require supporting documentation on origin
Arriving: red vs green channel
At Lomé–Tokoin (Gnassingbé Eyadéma International) you clear immigration first, then collect bags and pass through Customs. There is a red channel for goods to declare and a green channel for nothing to declare; a written declaration card is handed out on the plane or at the health desk and must be completed before you reach the channels. If you have nothing to declare, walk the green channel — but keep receipts for any high-value electronics, because officers do spot-check and will ask for proof of origin.
Bringing medication
Bring personal medication in its original pharmacy packaging with a copy of the prescription or a doctor's letter; keep quantities to what a normal trip would require (generally up to 3 months). Togo classifies narcotics, strong analgesics (including codeine and tramadol), psychotropics and some sedatives as controlled — importing them without a permit from the Ministry of Health is a criminal offence. Injectable drugs and anything containing pseudoephedrine attract extra scrutiny. If you need a controlled medicine, arrange authorisation before you fly.
Food, plants & animal products
Fresh fruit, vegetables, seeds, plants, cuttings and soil are prohibited without a phytosanitary certificate from the country of origin. Meat, poultry, dairy and other animal products need a veterinary health certificate and an import permit; raw meat from areas with foot-and-mouth or avian influenza outbreaks is refused. Declare all food at the red channel — undeclared food is confiscated and can trigger a fine.
Rules worth knowing
Yellow fever certificate is mandatory
Togo requires a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate from all travellers over 9 months old arriving from or transiting a country with yellow fever transmission. Without it you will be vaccinated at the airport health desk for a fee, or refused entry. Carry the original yellow card, not a photo.
CFA franc zone currency controls
Togo is in the WAEMU monetary union. Exporting more than 3,000,000 XOF in local currency requires authorisation from the Central Bank (BCEAO). Foreign currency can be brought in freely but must be declared if it exceeds the equivalent of 3,000,000 XOF, and you may be asked to show where it came from.
Electronics and resale goods
Bringing in multiple laptops, phones or similar items that look like stock for resale will be treated as commercial goods, not personal effects. Expect to pay duty and VAT and to need an import declaration; one used device per traveller is the safe rule.
Departure tax is included in your ticket
There is no separate cash departure tax to pay at Lomé airport — it is built into the airfare. Ignore anyone at the terminal asking for an 'exit fee' in cash.