Prefectures serve as the second and final administrative level in Togo's territorial organization, with 40 prefectures subdividing the country's five regions. These units function as the primary local governance structure, responsible for implementing national policies and delivering government services at the community level. Prefecture administrations typically oversee matters such as civil registration, local tax collection, public health coordination, primary education management, and rural development initiatives. Each prefecture is headed by a prefect appointed by the central government, who acts as the representative of state authority within the territory. The prefectural system provides the administrative framework through which citizens access government services and through which the national government exercises authority across Togo's diverse geographic and demographic landscape.