What CERViDA-DOUNEDON does

CERViDA-DOUNEDON (Centre d'Excellence Régional sur les Villes Durables en Afrique) is a non-profit academic and research institution hosted by the Université de Lomé in Togo, established in 2019 under the World Bank and AFD-funded ACE Impact project. It is one of 43 Regional Centers of Excellence serving 11 Sub-Saharan African countries and operates as the only ACE Impact center specifically focused on Sustainable Cities in Africa. Its core offerings comprise a Master and a Doctorate in Sustainable Urban Development, modular professional training, the Ajalala sustainability-science training program co-built with Future Earth's Pathways Initiative, and the CoSav thematic school on sustainable cities in the Global South.

The center's technical platform centers on GIS, remote sensing and satellite imagery analysis (Landsat TM, ETM+, OLI; 1988–2022 time series), dendrometric field inventories, participatory mapping, and modeling frameworks including Chave allometric equations, MICMAC, and DPSIR. It maintains the BDECT climate-and-territorial database covering six Togolese regions from 2000 to 2030 with projections to 2100 under SSP scenarios, and operates a U-Lab/PUIT incubator and a Technology Transfer Office to convert research outputs into entrepreneurial and applied outcomes. The intended beneficiaries are graduate students and PhD candidates across Francophone Africa, urban-governance actors and officials from Togo's 117 communes, and an international network of partner universities.

The business model is government-grant funded: revenues flow from the World Bank and AFD through the multi-country ACE Impact envelope, supplemented by project-based budgets for professional training. Pricing follows Université de Lomé academic fee structures for degree programs and is not publicly disclosed. The center has no disclosed commercial revenue streams such as industry sponsorships, fee-for-service consulting, or IP licensing, making its financial trajectory directly tied to the donor funding cycle. Distribution is academic-led: on-campus programs at Lomé, partner-university collaborations across West/Central Africa, France and Canada, participation in the SIGEM educational fair, and dissemination through publications, conferences, and the BDECT database.

Name

CERViDA-DOUNEDON

Legal name

Centre d'Excellence Régional sur les Villes Durables en Afrique (CERViDA-DOUNEDON)

Website

https://cervida-togo.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CERViDA-DOUNEDON is a Regional Center of Excellence for Sustainable Cities in Africa, hosted by the Université de Lomé in Togo under the World Bank and AFD-funded ACE Impact project. It trains graduate students, municipal officials, and researchers across Francophone Africa in sustainable urban development through degree programs, applied research, and the BDECT climate-territorial database.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education and Research Services

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (54162), Landscape Architectural Services (541320)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainable/Green Building & LEED Consulting (BPAHAKAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Environmental Conservation & Sustainability Volunteering (EDAIAGAB), Construction Environmental Management Plans (CEMP) & Permit Compliance Support (EUAHAAAF)

Keywords

• Sustainable urban development
• Academic research center
• Urban planning training
• Graduate education programs
• Climate data research

Headquarters

HQ city

Lomé

HQ country

Togo

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. World Bank ACE Impact Funding: As part of the African Centers of Excellence for Development Impact (ACE Impact) project, CERViDA-DOUNEDON receives funding from the World Bank. The project supports 43 centers of excellence, 5 emerging centers, and 4 engineering colleges across 11 Sub-Saharan African countries.
2. French Development Agency (AFD) Funding: The ACE Impact project is jointly supported by the World Bank and the French Development Agency (AFD), providing additional financial support for the center's operations, training programs, and research activities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CERViDA-DOUNEDON is a Regional Center of Excellence for Sustainable Cities in Africa hosted at the Université de Lomé in Togo. It delivers Master's and Doctoral academic programs in Sustainable Urban Development, professional modular training, applied research (including the BDECT climate/territorial database), an entrepreneurship incubator (U-Lab/PUIT), thematic schools (CoSav), and the Ajalala sustainability science training program.

Product overview

CERViDA-DOUNEDON is a Regional Center of Excellence for Sustainable Cities in Africa, operating as an academic institution within the Université de Lomé, Togo. The center offers a comprehensive portfolio centered on sustainable urban development through: academic programs (Master's and Doctoral degrees in Sustainable Urban Development, plus modular/professional training); research platforms (BDECT database for climate and territorial data); incubation services (U-Lab/PUIT incubator for entrepreneurship); international programs (Programme Ajalala for sustainability sciences, CoSav Thematic School for sustainable cities research); and alumni networking. The center is funded by the World Bank and French Development Agency as part of the ACE Impact project across 11 Sub-Saharan African countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Programme Ajalala: Training program to strengthen skills of young francophone researchers in sustainability sciences, co-built by Future Earth's Pathways Initiative and academic partners from Senegal, Togo, Niger, Cameroon, Canada, Madagascar, Côte d'Ivoire, and France

Products and services

• Master en Développement Urbain Durable Master's degree program in Sustainable Urban Development training urban managers and strengthening capacities of urban governance actors in African cities.
• Doctorat en Développement Urbain Durable Doctoral program in Sustainable Urban Development focused on advanced research in urban planning, sanitation, sustainable mobility, and inclusive territories.
• Formation Modulaire (Formation Continue)

Quantifiable outcome

• Research conducted on urban planning challenges affecting 1.4M+ residents of Grand Lomé and urban populations across Africa
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and moderate.

• Université de LomécoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe University of Lomé is the host institution of CERViDA-DOUNEDON, providing physical facilities, academic oversight, and integration with the university's educational programs.
• AUA (African Union Architecture)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe African Union Architecture is listed as a partner, suggesting collaboration on African urban development frameworks and continental initiatives.
• Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR), CanadamoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerProf. AGBEBAVI James-Tonyi from UQTR serves on the International Scientific Advisory Council. UQTR collaborates through the Ajalala program as an academic partner providing expertise in sustainable development research.
• EAMAU TOGO (Ecole Africaine des Métiers de l'Architecture et de l'Urbanisme)moderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the African School of Architecture and Urban Planning for Togo, supporting urban planning education and research collaboration.
• INE BENIN (Institut National de l'Eau)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the National Water Institute of Benin for water resource management and urban infrastructure research.
• EPT SENEGAL (Ecole Polytechnique de Thiès)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the Polytechnic School of Thiès in Senegal for engineering and technical training collaboration.
• 2IE BURKINA FASO (International Institute of Water and Environment)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the International Institute of Water and Environment in Burkina Faso for water and environmental research.
• KNUST GHANA (Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology)moderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with KNUST in Ghana for academic exchange, research collaboration, and regional capacity building in sustainable urban development.
• INPHB CÔTE D'IVOIRE (Institut National Polytechnique Félix Houphouët-Boigny)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with INPHB of Côte d'Ivoire for academic and research collaboration in engineering and sustainable development.
• Future Earth - Pathways InitiativemoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerCERViDA-DOUNEDON co-develops the Ajalala training program with Future Earth's Pathways Initiative, which aims to foster interdisciplinary and transformative research collaborations in sustainability science.
• Université Gaston Berger de Saint-Louis, SénégalmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Ajalala program, providing geography department expertise for sustainability science training across Francophone Africa.
• Université Dan Dicko Dankoulodo de Maradi, NigerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Ajalala program through the Department of Plant Production Sciences and Techniques.
• Université de Ngaoundéré, CamerounminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Ajalala program through the Geography Department for regional collaboration in sustainability science.
• Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar, SénégalmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner through the Laboratory of Research in Nutrition and Food Science (LARNAH), collaborating on interdisciplinary sustainability research.
• Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)moderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe IRD's UMI SOURCE (Sustainability and Resilience) unit partners through the Ajalala program, bringing together researchers from France, Senegal, Madagascar, and Côte d'Ivoire.
• Aix-Marseille Université, FranceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner in the Ajalala program, contributing French European expertise to sustainability science training.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• C40 Cities: A global network of megacities focused on climate action and urban sustainability. Comparable on the sustainable-cities agenda but oriented toward large-city climate leadership rather than Francophone African municipal training.
• UN-Habitat: The United Nations agency for sustainable urbanization, working extensively in West Africa on urban planning, housing, and city development. Comparable in thematic scope to CERViDA-DOUNEDON but at a global mandate and significantly larger budget.
• UCLG Africa / United Cities and Local Governments of Africa: The pan-African umbrella organization representing local governments across the continent. Comparable as a capacity-building and convening body for the same municipal stakeholders CERViDA-DOUNEDON targets.
• World Resources Institute (WRI) Ross Center for Sustainable Cities: A globally funded applied research and program delivery organization working on sustainable, equitable cities in emerging economies, with active African programs. Overlaps with CERViDA-DOUNEDON's research and capacity-building remit but operates globally with a larger budget.

Others

• African Development Bank — Urban Development Division: Funds large-scale urban infrastructure, governance, and capacity-building projects across Africa. Comparable as a funder and agenda-setter for the same African urban-development ecosystem, though it operates as a finance institution rather than an academic center.

Emerging players

• IRD — UMI SOURCE (Sustainability, Organizations, Resilience): A French research unit co-located in Senegal focused on sustainability science in the Global South. Comparable as a research partner and potential peer on sustainability science training (Ajalala), though oriented more toward research than graduate degree programs.

Direct peers

• ICLEI Africa: The African chapter of ICLEI, a global network of local and regional governments committed to sustainability. Comparable as a capacity-building and peer-learning platform for African municipalities—CERViDA-DOUNEDON's primary client base.
• African Centre for Cities (ACC), University of Cape Town: An academic research center at the University of Cape Town focused on urban studies and governance in African cities. Highly comparable to CERViDA-DOUNEDON in mission, methods (research + training + policy engagement), and target geography, though ACC is more established and English-anchored.
• KNUST Department of Planning, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology: A West African university with an established urban and regional planning program and a documented CERViDA-DOUNEDON partner. Comparable as an academic institution training urban professionals in the same regional context.
• Institut Africain de Gestion Urbaine (IAGU): A Francophone Africa-based institute dedicated to training urban managers and local government officials. Closely comparable to CERViDA-DOUNEDON's mandate to strengthen the capacities of municipal actors across Africa.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@cervida-dounedon
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cervida-dounedon

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CERViDA-DOUNEDON