Togo
In Togo, one of the smallest countries in Africa, Muslims make up 20% of the population. While the proportion of Christianized natives of the country reaches 30%, almost half of the people of Togo still follow local African beliefs.
Historically and culturally similar to neighboring Ghana and Benin, the country has more than 40 ethnic groups. Although Muslims are belonging to almost every ethnic group, Islam is more common among the Kotokoli ethnic group, which has been one of the important factors of the trade life in the region since the 19th century, and almost all of these people are Muslims.
Islam reached Togo through the Muslim merchants who came to the region from the 10th century onwards to trade in gold and salt.
The most critical problem for the Muslims of Togo is education. For this purpose, with the help of the Islamic Development Bank, civil society organizations in the region have established schools and education centers at various levels in the country. Today, there are mosques and Islamic schools in numerous regions of the country. The construction of such educational institutions in Togo is not officially restricted.
A radio station operates to make the voices of Muslims in the country heard, while state television broadcasts half an hour of Islamic programs on Saturdays. However, Togolese Muslims do not publish newspapers or magazines.
