Close to 25% of Togo’s maritime economy comes from second-hand goods imported from Europe. 9 out of 10 Lomé residents buy them on the market, from 2 to more 6 times a year. The Covid-19 pandemic has not slowed down this habit at all. “The used car park really is a big business centre and we estimate we have 3,000, sometimes 5,000 people who visit this place every day,” explains Editchao Bawabadi, who runs a used-car park in central Lomé. The success of this second-hand market can essentially be explained by the way Togolese people look out for the best deal. In the first quarter of 2020, the country imported $19 million worth of second-hand vehicles according to the Togolese Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. A trend that continues in mid-2021.
SOURCE: AFRICA NEWS