Togo has announced plans to update its school geography materials by the end of the year following a United Nations General Assembly resolution that promotes maps showing Africa and other regions more accurately.

The country aims to become the first to switch to the Equal Earth projection in its classrooms.

Foreign Minister Robert Dussey said the change would set an example for other nations. The Equal Earth projection gives a more realistic picture of the relative size of continents, unlike the widely used Mercator projection, which makes areas near the poles look much larger and Africa appear smaller than it actually is.

The UN resolution, sponsored by Togo on behalf of the African Group, was adopted with 164 countries voting in favour. The United States voted against it, while six countries abstained.

The resolution is not legally binding and does not force nations to abandon the Mercator map, which remains useful for navigation.

Dussey said Togo would encourage other governments, schools, international organisations and technology companies to adopt more accurate maps.

The African Union welcomed the decision, describing it as an important step toward representing Africa in its true dimensions.

Supporters of the move argue that maps shape how people understand the world and that correcting long-standing distortions is part of broader efforts to present a fairer geographical picture. Critics, including the United States, viewed the initiative as unnecessary and linked it to wider political debates.

Photo credit: Punch Newspaper