Burkina faso Country Commercial Guide
Learn about the market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business conditions in burkina faso, prepared by at U.S. Embassies worldwide by Commerce Department, State Department and other U.S. agencies’ professionals
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Telecom
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Overview

Burkina Faso’s telecom sector is expanding, with mobile as the primary access method. National and international fiber backbone projects are creating opportunities in network equipment, towers, data services, and digital platforms. Low internet penetration drives growing demand for affordable broadband, last-mile solutions, and digital services like fintech, e-learning, and e-health.

Leading Sub-sectors

  • Mobile Network Expansion & Tower Buildout: Government programs and operator expansions are driving demand for new cell sites and shared infrastructure. Market share is concentrated among Onatel/Moov, Orange, and Telecel.

  • National Fiber Backbone & Last-Mile Broadband: Backbone upgrades and private operators are expanding fiber to regions and municipalities, increasing demand for dark fiber, backhaul, and capacity leasing.

  • Data Centers, Cloud & Managed Services: Growth in e-government, banking, and mining digital projects is fueling demand for local data hosting, disaster recovery, and managed services.

  • Mobile Money / Fintech & IoT: High mobile usage and growing digital payments create opportunities for payment platforms, secure identity solutions, and IoT applications in agriculture and mining logistics.

  • Satellite / VSAT & Rural Connectivity: Landlocked geography and underserved rural areas drive demand for satellite backhaul and hybrid fixed wireless solutions.

  • Cybersecurity & Regulatory Compliance: Modernizing networks and increasing digital services are boosting demand for cybersecurity, network monitoring, and compliance tools.

Opportunities

  • Digital Backbone Expansion: The Transition Authorities are prioritizing national digital backbone development, creating opportunities for U.S. firms in data infrastructure, cybersecurity, cloud platforms, and e-governance tools.

  • Mobile Money and Payments Innovation: Rapid mobile money adoption is driving collaboration among authorities, banks, telecom operators, and payment providers. U.S. companies can offer cross-border payment systems, digital wallets, point-of-sale technologies, and solutions for low-connectivity rural areas.

  • Data Centers and Cloud Services: Rising demand for secure data hosting from government institutions, telecom operators, and mining firms presents opportunities for U.S. businesses in data center development, cloud services, and managed IT solutions. Resilient systems like solar-hybrid energy and advanced security are key, with multilateral financing, including World Bank support, available.

Resources

  • Ministry of Digital Transition, Postal Services and Electronic Communication

  • Electronic Communication and Postal Services National Regulation Agency