Burkina Faso may demand real estate commitment from operators
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A decree put into place by Burkina Faso’s military government late last week, which obliges some companies to build headquarters in the country, may affect Burkina's mobile operators.
The decree targets large companies with annual revenue of at least XOF5 billion (about US$9 million) over the past three fiscal years, a requirement that will affect mobile network operators active in Burkina Faso. There will be a scale of construction standards in four categories based on company size; which category a company finds itself in will depend on revenue.
Category A includes companies with annual revenue of at least CFA100 billion (US$181 million). They must build at minimum a seven-storey building with both underground and surface parking and incorporate energy efficiency standards. Moov Africa and Orange fall within this category – although, on 3 February, Moov Africa laid the foundation stone for its future headquarters in Ouagadougou’s Commercial and Administrative Activities Zone (ZACA), so it may already be compliant with the new rules.
Telecel Faso falls under Category C (between XOF10 billion / $US18.1 million and XOF50 billion / $US90.45 million), which requires it to construct at least a four-storey building with surface parking.
The Ecofin news agency reports that companies have six months to submit their construction plans to an interministerial commission and 36 months to complete the work. There may be tax exemptions on construction materials and support with acquiring serviced land.
The move appears to be part of a broader push to strengthen economic sovereignty and reinforce a corporate presence in the country. Burkina Faso is currently under a military-led transitional government headed by Captain (now also President) Ibrahim Traoré, who seized power in a September 2022 coup. The decree reflects a continuation of an economic agenda that appears to emphasise national control over strategic economic activities.
However, as a number of news reports note, these new real estate obligations may affect operators’ capacity to invest in digital infrastructure and, by extension, the government’s desire to expand broadband access, accelerate fibre optic deployment, and extend telecom infrastructure to underserved areas. The new rules may also deter foreign investment.
Reliable figures are hard to come by but some estimates suggest that, as of late 2025, mobile service coverage (predominantly 2G) reaches approximately 85% to 93% of the population. 4G alone reaches just under half of the population, well behind 3G which reaches two thirds.
Commercial 5G services have not yet been launched in the country.
