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Barkoissi

Plizio editorial teamUpdated: Jun 2026Data Sources

City

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Practical info — Barkoissi

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🌤 Weather — 5 days

📍 Nearby

Sights nearby

💡 Tips

The weekly livestock market is an intense and fascinating experience; arrive early in the morning for the best atmosphere.
Wear closed, dust-proof shoes, especially if visiting the market areas, as the unpaved grounds can be very dusty.
English is rarely spoken; knowing some basic French or local greetings will help immensely when interacting with vendors.
Photography at the market should be done discreetly; always ask for permission before taking pictures of people or their animals.
Cash is king here. Make sure to bring enough West African CFA francs in small denominations.

🍽 Food

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Fufu with peanut soup

Look for small local eateries called 'maquis' near the market center.

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Grilled meat/Suya

Served by street vendors, especially active during market days.

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Tchoukoutou

Traditional millet beer, often served in calabashes at local gatherings.

🛍 Shopping · 🧘 Quiet spots

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Regional agricultural produce

Fresh yams, millet, and beans from the Savanes region.

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Regional livestock

For locals, but fascinating to observe the trading of cattle, sheep, and goats.

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Outskirts of town

A walk slightly away from the market center gives a view of the vast Sahelian landscape.

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Local community centers

Often quieter spots where locals gather under the shade of large trees.

Barkoissi lies in Oti-Sud Prefecture in the southern part of the Savanes Region, on an important connecting road between Dapaong and Mango. The town is famous beyond its size for hosting one of the most significant livestock markets in northern Togo, weekly drawing hundreds of herders and buyers from Burkina Faso, Niger and Benin. Cattle, sheep and goats are mainly traded here, then trucked to consumer centres in the south. The surrounding countryside forms a typical Sudano-Sahelian savanna with broad grasslands, scattered acacias and termite mounds. Economically Barkoissi depends on livestock trading, the cultivation of sorghum, millet and groundnuts, and the processing of shea butter, which is an important source of income for women. Culturally the region is shaped by a mixture of Tchokossi, Moba and Peulh influences; Islam plays a central role in daily life and shapes the festive calendar.